Danish MEP Søren Gade has recently been appointed as the new Champion of the Waste Free Oceans (WFO) foundation, succeeding French MEP Alain Cadec.
The foundation was set up in 2011, under the leadership of former EU Commissioner Maria Damanaki and former MEP Anna Rosbach, to encourage fishermen and industry to work together on the reduction of plastic pollution.
Søren Gade MEP, vice-chair of the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee, said he takes great pride in championing WFO. “The work and purpose of WFO aligns in a very natural way with my seat and position as co-chair of the Fisheries Committee, where clean seas and sustainable fishing opportunities are a priority,” he said.
WFO supports fishing for litter schemes and believes that it is crucial to collaborate with fishermen, as they are best equipped to collect floating debris. Fishermen are eligible to use some of the EU subsidies available under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, in order to perform these actions and to ensure they contribute to the preservation of our oceans and seas.
WFO Founder, Alexandre Dangis, explained. “WFO offers a remarkable example of collaborating with fishermen for their knowledge and capabilities, as well as developing a true circular economy that adds value to waste,” he said.
Currently the organisation is expanding in India with the production of products made from recycled ocean plastic, in order to stimulate the circularity of plastics and clean-up operations in the area.
