Since the new law, fishermen have thrown bottles into the sea

• Since January 2018, professional sailors are subject to the same rules as motorists and must respect the rate of 0.5 grams of alcohol per liter of blood.
• The law to combat alcoholism seems to be bearing fruit, two years after its entry into force. But boaters are not affected.
• If more and more boats are sailing "dry", drug use seems to be increasing.

“Twenty years ago, there were pockets on the boats. But it no longer exists today. ” By setting foot on the pontoon of the port of Saint-Malo, Pierre is categorical. The image of the alcoholic sailor is no longer valid today. This former sailor has long officiated in the merchant but also on fishing boats before anchoring in the privateer city. “Alcohol is not good for fishermen. It sleeps, it numbs. Physically, it doesn't help them. If they booze, they can't work. And above all, it can be dangerous, “analyzes the strong bearded man.

Two years ago, a law defended by Ségolène Royal and Alain Vidalies came into force in order to "fight against alcoholism at sea". This text established in particular the limitation to 0.5 gram of alcohol per liter of blood, as for motorists, for all professional sailors but not for pleasure. To ensure the sobriety of their teams, some shipowners have set up "dry boats" prohibiting alcohol on board. "It is a choice but I am not sure that it is the right solution. The boat is a place of work but also a place of life. Some go on missions for several months. The ban must not generate hidden consumption, ”says Françoise Douliazel.

"Sometimes the bosses veil their faces"

Based in Lorient since 2014, the director of the Maritime Prevention Institute (IMP) tries to alert seafarers to the dangers of addictive behavior. "There is of course a risk for their health but also for their career. A seafarer who is caught in breach may be declared unfit. ” In fact, it is extremely rare. First of all because most of them are square. But also for lack of manpower. “Sometimes the bosses veil their faces. Because by leaving a sailor in port, they take the risk that the boat does not leave, ”says Françoise Douliazel. The director of the IMP would also like to see the “tax refund” disappear to effectively fight addictions. This advantage allows fishermen not to pay certain taxes and therefore to buy cigarettes and alcohol at an attractive price.

Non-alcoholic month: In Rennes, the delicate awareness of students https://t.co/IF3EHTfLzm via @ 20minutesRennes pic.twitter.com/k5fzFWbDr2

To ensure that the law is observed, the authorities try to carry out regular checks at the ports. Not easy given the limited resources they have. As proof, the statistics communicated by the prefecture of Ille-et-Vilaine. For two years, no sailor has been fined for alcohol in the port of Saint-Malo. And on the water? “At sea, it is very complicated to carry out controls. Even if we have a breathalyzer, what do we do if it's positive? Are we all going ashore to get a blood test? “Admits Henry, retired coast guard who officiated in Loire-Atlantique.

Boaters not concerned

If alcohol seems to have disappeared from professional boats, it has gradually given way to new addictions, notably drugs, the consumption of which seems to be increasing among sailors. Cannabis or cocaine are more and more frequent in an environment where wages can be significant when the economic conditions are good. This is currently the case. "These are easy prey for retailers," says a former fisherman. A way to face a reputedly tough job? "We have a few testimonies in this sense, but that does not seem to be the norm," says the director of the Maritime Prevention Institute, who puts forward "complicated social life" for sailors, who are often absent.

The law on alcohol at sea, however, spared most of the seafarers. Because boating is not concerned by the consumption limit to 0.5 grams per liter of blood. On this issue, opinions are divided. Some say that amateurs drink little and are vigilant on the water. “When we are with friends, we sometimes have a few drinks while eating. But it doesn't put anyone in danger. On the water, you don't need to be reactive to the tenth of a second like in a car, ”says Eric, confirmed yachtsman.

Others are more critical, such as Louis, who remembers a dramatic sea accident off Saint-Malo, where he lost two young members of his family. “They were coming back from Chausey where they had celebrated. They were going too fast and they were thrown from the inflatable boat. ” Three men had drowned that day. “The problem with alcohol is that you always think you're lucid. But we do not have the same reflexes, ”said the retiree. Like on earth.

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