I’ve just swum the full length of the English Channel. This is my message. Please share. 1/7 
I urge the UK Government to properly protect its waters. Currently, only 7 square kms out of 750,000 is fully protected.
In the rest of our waters, we have shipping, oil and gas drilling, gunnery exercises, industrial fishing and aggregate removal.
Scientists are clear that we need to be protecting at least 30% of our oceans by 2030 if they are going to be able to stand a chance of recovery and be sustainable.
During this swim, I’ve seen virtually no wildlife – aside from a few birds, a few dolphins and one turtle. It shows that our oceans have been very badly over-fished.
I have also seen plastic on every beach from Land's End to Dover. We have taken the fish out of the ocean and replaced them with plastic.
The British government now has to lead. We need urgent action. Our oceans are not a side issue. If we don’t act now, we will see the collapse these ecosystems, they will not be able to recover.
