In January 2024, the previous Conservative government made the landmark decision to close sandeel fisheries in the North Sea. This bold step was only possible because the UK is no longer a member of the European Union.
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For years, hundreds of thousands of tonnes of sandeels were stripped from our seas, mainly by EU vessels, to feed farmed mink and fish. Yet these small fish are a vital food source for Britain’s treasured seabirds, including the iconic puffin and the kittiwake, whose numbers have suffered from this depletion.
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By ending sandeel fishing in our waters, the UK took a stand to protect our marine wildlife. The EU immediately challenged this, launching an unprecedented legal case against us on the grounds that it breaches the post-Brexit EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
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On 2nd May 2025, the court ruled the UK had no legal obligation to reverse the closure. This victory is proof that Brexit can deliver for British wildlife. This was the first real test of our post-Brexit sovereignty and we passed.
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CEN championed the Conservative government’s initial decision to ban sand eel fisheries in the North Sea. We have been campaigning on behalf of this decision ever since, with strong backing from our MPs and widespread media coverage. Explore the media highlights and supportive stories we landed at the bottom of this page. Show your support for this campaign win:
Outside of the EU, we have and can continue to take decisive action to protect our natural environment. It is vital that the Labour government upholds this triumph, respects the will of the British people, and continues to defend our wildlife and our national sovereignty.
Brexit made this victory possible. It is vital that this Labour government now continues to uphold the will of the British people and our sovereignty, and to protect our environmental ambitions.
OUR CAMPAIGN MEDIA COVERAGE
