Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill

Barry Gardiner Excerpts

Monday 17th November 2025 Commons Chamber

The point that has been made about bottom-trawling and overfishing of the oceans is absolutely true. That is why I asked about the resources that this Government and other Governments will have to enforce this piece of legislation. There are massive commercial interests involved in overfishing, in pollution, in dropping plastic in the ocean and so much more. There is an inequality of resources, and the powerful commercial interests that have done so much damage to our oceans and to fish stocks are not met by the equivalent resources of the public for either monitoring what is going on or cleaning up after them. I hope that the Minister will understand that this is not a criticism of the Bill—it is very much in support of the Bill—but if the resources are not there to monitor and correct what is going on in our oceans, we will not have achieved what we should have.

[Barry Gardiner (Brent West) (Lab)]

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that one of the most important things the Government can do at COP1 when it meets next year is to establish a regime with the other members of the conference of the parties on how enforcement of the new treaty will take place?

[Jeremy Corbyn]

Absolutely. That is a very good intervention, and I completely agree with the hon. Member on that point. We have to bring into the enforcement regime those countries that are the worst polluters, the ones that are most guilty of overfishing and those that are most guilty of turning a blind eye to fishing companies that do that. It is not an easy gig, but it is very important to do it. If we do not do it, fish stocks will reduce, biodiversity will reduce and pollution will get worse. Ultimately, those who eat fish will be eating plastic fish.