Emmanuel Macron considered that France must “improve (its) practices” to better protect dolphins, whose strandings in the Bay of Biscay have multiplied, while reaffirming their support for fishermen.
This Friday, the public rapporteur of the Council of State ruled in favor of the application within a period of six months of space-time closures of certain fisheries considered responsible for the death of many cetaceans. His opinions are generally followed by the highest French administrative court, whose decision is expected within three weeks.
“It is a judicial decision, it must be respected,” reacted the head of state, questioned by the online medium Vakita, founded by the journalist Hugo Clément, this Saturday during his visit to the Agriculture Hall.
Don’t “give up” or “stigmatize” fishermen
“We need to improve our practices,” he acknowledged, judging that the scenes of stranded dolphins off the French coast were “shocking.” However, President Macron insisted on the need to “accompany” the fishermen who could be affected by the suspensions.
“We will continue to improve our systems, investing, and it will be largely public money (…), in order to stop practices that are dangerous and in any case better prevent them,” he continued.
“It is a problem that I take very seriously, I am shocked, but I am very respectful of our fishermen” who “should not be abandoned” or “stigmatized”, declared Emanuel Macron.
395 cetaceans found dead
These statements were received this Sunday by the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO), which has been warning about the multiplication of strandings this year for several weeks.
“Finally! The president says he is ‘shocked’ by the captures,” he greeted, and asked him to “prohibit murderous practices without delay.” The LPO, like the NGOs that originated the appeal before the Council of State – France for the natural environment (FNE), Sea Shepherd France and the association for the defense of aquatic environments (DMA) – requests a three-month suspension of non-selective peaches in winter and one month in summer.
According to the Pelagis observatory, 395 small cetaceans were found dead on the French Atlantic coast from December 1 to February 15. The majority (90%) are common dolphins, a protected species, and a “vast majority” had “traces of capture in fishing gear.”
Until now, the French government has opted for measures to document the phenomenon and technical solutions, such as cameras on board or repellents on boats.
Source: BFM TV
