One activist is blaming Government for the red card issued by the European union, against Trinidad and Tobago over unregulated fishing in its waters.

The group Fishermen and Friends of the sea says, it could have been avoided if the state had updated the necessary laws.

On Monday, the European Commission issued Trinidad and Tobago with a red card for being a non-cooperating country, in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

This move was an escalation of the “yellow card” that Trinidad and Tobago received, in 2016.

The decision will be referred to the member states of the European union, to collectively decide whether to ban T&T’s fish imports.

Yesterday, president of the organization Gary Aboud said, this affects thousands of lives.

He said, that despite calls for consultation on the issue the state has not complied.

In a release on Monday the Ministry of Agriculture said, it was the result of an evaluation of local systems and programs for fisheries management, with focus on combating illegal unreported and unregulated fishing.

It said, the current fisheries legislation is more than 100 years old and does not allow, Trinidad and Tobago to adequately address its international obligations.