Highlights: The French government is not doing enough to protect dolphins in the Bay of Biscay. From next year, from 22 January to 20 February, boats of 8 metres or more, equipped with certain types of nets, will not be allowed to fish. The Council of State considers the government plan not restrictive enough if we really want to reduce the number of dolphins that die from being accidentally caught in the nets. Every year, about 9,000 incidentally caught common dolphins die on France's Atlantic coast.

The French government is not doing enough to protect dolphins in the Bay of Biscay, a vast maritime area in the west of the country that stretches from the northern coast of Spain to Brittany....

Dolphins: Council of State tightens "no-fishing month"

The French government is not doing enough to protect dolphins in the Bay of Biscay, a vast maritime area in the west of the country that stretches from Spain's northern coast to Brittany. This is what the Council of State said on Friday 22 September, which tightened the "month without fishing" introduced last October.

A dolphin seen swimming off the coast of Biarritz, in southwestern France. © Gaizka Iroz / AFP

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Every winter, from next year, from 22 January to 20 February, boats of 8 metres or more, equipped with certain types of nets, will not be allowed to fish in the Bay of Biscay. That is what the government decided. But in order not to offend the fishermen, he had also introduced a whole series of derogations. These derogations were rejected by the Council of State.

⚖️ Dolphin protection: the Council of State suspends derogations from the closure of fishing

Read the decision of the summary ➡️ judge https://t.co/DIVbJXKKfT pic.twitter.com/bY2JrmMEld

— Council of State (@Conseil_Etat) December 22, 2023

The Council of State considers the government plan not restrictive enough if we really want to reduce the number of dolphins that die from being accidentally caught in the nets. Associations for the protection of nature hail "a historic victory", which "will offer a respite to cetaceans".

⚖️ VICTORY!!! We're ending the year with great news, full of hope!
🐬 The Council of State rejects the (too) numerous derogations from the fishing ban and agrees with our associations.
👉 #cétacés #dauphins Let us explain: https://t.co/6khCpJ8HI9 pic.twitter.com/1wjkN2Go3R

— France Nature Environnement (@FNEasso) December 22, 2023

Every year, about 9,000 incidentally caught common dolphins die on France's Atlantic coast, according to the International Center for the Exploration of the Sea.

The National Fisheries Committee is alarmed by the consequences for the sector. 500 boats will not be able to work for a month, says its president Olivier Le Nézet.

The Council of State recalls that the fishermen will be compensated for the loss of earnings. The National Fisheries Committee regrets that indirect employment is not taken into account.

Read alsoStranded dolphins: after the decision of the Council of State, a difficult compromise between NGOs and fishermen

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Dolphins: Council of State tightens "no-fishing month"

Dolphins: Council of State tightens "no-fishing month"

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