ENGLISH ROSE VI VOYAGE TO PROTECT THE ALBATROSS

That this House welcomes John Ridgway's return to London in the yacht English Rose VI after he finished his 327 day trip which started in July 2003 from Ardmore (Scotland); congratulates Mr Ridgway for using his journey under the flag of the UN Environment Programme to raise awareness of the current threat to the world's albatross population; notes that more than 300,000 seabirds are killed every year by long line fishing which involves setting a multi-hooked single line of up to 130km behind a fishing boat; is appalled that an estimated one billion baited hooks are set annually by the world's long line fleets; acknowledge that for the most part these are not eaten by their intended targets, but by albatrosses and other seabirds; understands that the most serious threat to albatrosses is posed by Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported pirate fishing vessels; therefore urges the UK Government to combat illegal fishing and its consequent damage by promoting more effective enforcement of international agreements such as the Agreement on Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, the FAO-International Plan of Action, and the provisions included in the EU Common Fisheries Policy; further urges the UK Government to ensure that British overseas territories guarantee protection for albatrosses and other seabirds.