Three activists from Sea Shepherd France were taken into police custody Tuesday afternoon in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie (Vendée) for "illegal transport of protected species", then released in the evening, a- we learned from the NGO. "They received a legal reminder that they refused to sign," said Lamya Essemlali, president of Sea Shepherd France. The prosecution confirmed a legal reminder.
The three activists had been arrested after having deposited in front of the gendarmerie the corpses of three dolphins found dead in the morning, including that of a baby. Sea Sheperd generally carries out this type of operation in the street to make passers-by aware of the risks of intensive fishing off the French coast.
4 of our volunteers have just been placed in police custody for having exposed 3 dolphins killed by fishing gear near the gendarmerie where we were summoned this morning for "illegal transport of protected species". # OpérationDolphinByCatch #SeaShepherd pic.twitter.com/AgAiODUN7V
- Sea Shepherd France (@SeaShepherdFran) February 11, 2020"We are shocked and angry that a law supposed to protect dolphins is ultimately used to stop the activities that try to protect them. It is the spirit of the law that is not respected at all, ”said Lamya Essemlali.
Fishermen under arrest under pressure?
According to the activist, these arrests follow pressure from fishermen. The latter "complained several times that we were not being prosecuted for this, and there, the Sables-d'Olonne prosecution decided to do so following the action carried out in Saint-Gilles-Croix- de-Vie ", she said, denouncing" the absurdity "of this procedure for placing in police custody" which consists in killing the messenger ".
The prosecution "only reminds the law in force that applies to all, without giving in to any claims from anyone," responded the judiciary.
According to figures from the president of Sea Sheperd France, the Vendée is a "red zone" in terms of stranding of dolphins. "We want transparency on the fishing methods, that the catches are all declared, and for the moment, this is absolutely not the case: of the 11,300 dolphins killed last year almost on the French coast, there were, I believe, seven declarations, ”said Lamya Essemlali.
Planet
Finistère: A new butchered dolphin discovered on a beach
Planet
Marine resources: Did French fishermen fish “sustainably” in 2019?
- Gendarmerie
- Sea shepherd
- Dolphin
- Planet