France moves to ban fishing as ‘unprecedented’ amount of dolphins wash ashore

A nation has been forced to make drastic moves as an “unprecedented” number of dead dolphins wash ashore. WARNING: Graphic

Dozens of dolphin carcasses have been found on the beaches of the French Atlantic coast since Saturday which environmental defense associations attribute to weather conditions and fishing pressure. Picture: Philippe Lopez/AFP

WARNING: Graphic images

France has made drastic moves to prohibit fishing as an “unprecedented” number of dead dolphins wash ashore.

France’s highest court, the State Council, mandated the government to curb fishing in certain areas of the Atlantic in order to safeguard dolphins that have been found dead in large numbers.

The move came after an oceanographic institute reported that at least 910 dolphins had washed up on France’s Atlantic coast since the start of winter.

During a single week, over 400 of the marine animals were found stranded, which the Pelagis oceanographic observatory in La Rochelle referred to as an “unprecedented” number.

“Without any doubt, being entangled in fishing gear remains the principal cause of death observed in common dolphins found in winter strandings on beaches, and has been since the 1990s,” Pelagis reported.

Regarder la réalité en face : Hier nous avons exposé 6 🐬 aux Sables d'Olonne d'où viennent de nombreux bateaux que nous filmons avec des 🐬 capturés. Nous attendons avec impatience la décision du Conseil d'Etat sur la fermeture des zones de pêche @[e-mail]/kWWQrygfc8

— Sea Shepherd France (@SeaShepherdFran) March 12, 2023

“This situation is worrying and not specific to France as it affects neighbouring countries.”

Environmental NGOs, including Sea Shepherd, filed a legal complaint against the government, alleging that it was not doing enough to safeguard the species, which are at risk of extinction in certain parts of the Bay of Biscay along the Atlantic coast.

“Face reality: Yesterday we exhibited six dolphins in Les Sables d’Olonne. We look forward to the Council of State’s decision on the closure of fishing areas,” Sea Shepherd France tweeted.

“This is the worst face of fishing: no respect for the living, no love for the sea that sustains them. Those who atrociously mutilated this dolphin should never be allowed to fish again.”

Dozens of dolphin carcasses have been found on the beaches of the French Atlantic coast. Picture: Philippe Lopez/AFP

The State Council has given the government six months to establish no-fishing zones. Picture: Philippe Lopez/AFP

The majority of the dolphins found had injuries consistent with entanglement in fishing nets, other fishing equipment, or boat engines.

President of Sea Shepherd France Lamya Essemlali said the number of dolphins washing up on beaches was “the tip of the iceberg” and the toll could be many times higher.

“The large majority of the dolphins captured and freed then drown at sea and their bodies sink,” Ms Essemlali told The Guardian.

“It is urgent that we close certain zones to fishing boats during certain periods. We keep asking for this, but the fishing lobby is powerful in France and the government has refused. It’s extremely frustrating.

“The only thing we can do is display the dead and mutilated dolphins to local people and to the press and make people realise what is happening.”

The State Council has given the government six months to establish no-fishing zones and enhance the monitoring of unintended dolphin captures, which it claims is still too vague.

The Council ruled on Monday that instruments of “acoustic deterrence” on fishing boats “do not guarantee a favourable state of conservation for small cetacean species” including dolphins and porpoises.

The French government has previously opted for measures such as on-board cameras or loud sound equipment to drive the dolphins away instead of implementing fishing bans, but the State Council has ruled that these instruments do not ensure the conservation of small cetacean species such as dolphins and porpoises.