"What on earth has woke got to do with it?”
You could be forgiven for thinking this recent headline in the Daily Mail was satire:
‘Fishermen’s fury as ‘disaster’ octopus invasion destroys their catch thanks to woke rule allowing predators to ‘treat them like McDonald’s.’
Yes, the right-wing, Brexit-cheerleading newspaper returned to familiar territory, howling the post-Brexit woes of British fishermen, while finding a new scapegoat in so-called ‘woke’ policy.
The piece attempts to pin the plight of Devon fishermen on a supposed ‘woke’ conservation measure. The story is centred on a local bylaw requiring certain crab pots to include “escape holes,” a conservation feature designed to let younger shellfish survive and, ultimately, to protect marine ecosystems.
Some fishermen claim these holes are allowing octopuses to enter pots, feast on crabs, and exit freely, leaving them with empty hauls and no income.
Evocative quotes pepper the article. One fisherman told the MailOnline: ‘The octopuses are ruining us. They’re coming in the side hatch – it’s like McDonald’s for them.’
It’s a genuine concern, certainly, but the article ignores the actual purpose of these conservation laws, to preserve marine populations and sustain the industry long-term. Instead, the Mail leans into a culture war narrative, making ‘wokeness’ the villain without even bothering to ask why conservation authorities might view long-term stock protection as necessary in the first place. Or to ask why there are suddenly more octopuses out there which has been linked to climate change affecting sea temperatures.
The newspaper, which once championed leaving the EU as a golden ticket for British fishers, now describes them as being “sold out” in Keir Starmer’s UK-EU reset fishing deal. The agreement extends the EU’s access to British waters by 12 years, until 2038. In return, the UK will see a reduction in trade checks for food, animal, and agricultural products, known as sanitary and phytosanitary goods (SPS).
It’s not clear whether the Mail is demanding looser conservation rules, harsher action against octopuses, or simply finding another excuse to rage against ‘woke Britain.’
Readers weren’t too convinced either.
“I imagine a different headline in the daily “Subsea News”: “Octopuses’ fury as fishermen invasion destroys their catch…” was one comment.
“I guess that Brussels or the French are to blame. It is at least the common denominator I have read on here for years,” was another.
“What on earth has woke got to do with it?” one reader summed up.
Exactly.
Left Foot Forward doesn't have the backing of big business or billionaires. We rely on the kind and generous support of ordinary people like you.
You can support hard-hitting journalism that holds the right to account, provides a forum for debate among progressives, and covers the stories the rest of the media ignore. Donate today.