Fisheries ministers arrived at the talks in Brussels to find King Poseidon – are at least someone dressed as him – waiting to greet them.
The role play, while raising smiles on a sunny morning in Belgium’s capital, had a serious message behind it from one of the many environmental groups keen for governments to crack down on “overfishing”.
In a stunt organised by campaign group Our Fish, the would-be king of the sea and his “minister for the ocean” presented officials with gifts and the signatures of more than 350,000 people on a petition bearing the words “this is for our future”.
They arrived at the monolithic Justus Lipsius building on a rickshaw as rush-hour traffic roared by the Schuman roundabout.
“Poseidon” rebuked ministers for refusing him access to their meeting, telling them: “You made a law five years ago to end overfishing – but we worry that you will continue to ignore the word of scientists and continue plundering my seas in pursuit of profit.”
Our Fish programme director Rebecca Hubbard added: “With just one year left until the 2020 deadline to end overfishing, fisheries ministers must pay to the message from more than 350,000 EU citizens and over 30 European and international celebrities; break the annual cycle of setting quotas above scientific advice and deliver the healthy fish stocks they committed to.
“This year’s meeting is critical, both because it is our last chance before the 2020 deadline to end overfishing and because the EU ban on wasting unwanted fish – the landing obligation – must finally be fully implemented.
“Ending overfishing is the most practical and achievable thing EU ministers can do to help our oceans under pressure.”