Alliance welcomes EJF to deepen global collaboration on illegal fishing

The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) has joined the Nature Crime Alliance to bolster global efforts to counter illegal fishing.

EJF is a leading investigative and campaigning organisation that works to protect the natural world and defend the basic human right to a secure environment. Headquartered in the UK, and with offices in the European Union and across geographical focuses such as West Africa, Southeast Asia and East Asia, it works internationally to inform policy and drive systemic, durable reforms to protect the environment and defend human rights.

Active across issues including ocean, forests, and environmental defenders, EJF has a particular focus on illegal fishing, with a wealth of expertise and research output on this critical topic.

By joining the Alliance, EJF aims to further global understanding of illegal fishing, including among world leaders and political decision-makers, and raise awareness of this destructive activity across the international community.

Steve Trent, CEO and Founder of EJF, commented: “There is an urgent need for deeper global cooperation to secure the systemic changes in policy and governance required to protect people and our shared planet. The Nature Crime Alliance can play a vital role in fostering this collaboration, raising awareness, and driving real, lasting solutions.

“At EJF, our work spans the ocean, climate, forests and wetlands, working with environmental defenders around the globe for a more sustainable future. These interconnected campaigns align closely with the Alliance’s priorities, and we look forward to working with its members to strengthen global action against illegal fishing and other environmental crimes.”

EJF joins Alliance members such as FishWise, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, Fisheries Transparency Initiative, Outlaw Ocean, Earth League International, INTERPOL, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime who are working in the illegal fishing space. Ghana, which is tackling crimes associated with fishing in its waters, is also a member of the Alliance.

Dr Charles ‘Chip’ Barber, Director of the Nature Crime Alliance, which is hosted by World Resources Institute, commented: “The Alliance was created to drive multi-sector cooperation, bring actors together to share knowledge and expertise, and bolster global capacity to investigate and disrupt nature crime.

“Given EJF’s considerable expertise in investigating and campaigning to protect the natural world, we are delighted to welcome them as a member of the Alliance.”