Illustration of fishermen working in the Bay of Biscay.

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Loïc Venance / AFP

They refuse to close their fishery, even temporarily.

On October 2, the professionals of the Brittany sea expressed their opposition to a suspension of fishing that the European Union would consider, according to them, in order to limit incidental catches of dolphins.

According to the Morbihan fisheries committee, this closure would apply "to all French gillnetters, pelagic trawlers and purse seiners" and would take effect in the first quarter of 2021.

This decision would follow the opening in July of an infringement procedure by the European Commission against France, Spain and Sweden.

Three countries which would have "not taken enough measures to prevent the accidental catch of dolphins".

The French state was convicted in July for lack of protection.

"Imposing a fishing ban in the Bay of Biscay would be unfair and arbitrary", denounces Olivier Le Nézet, president of the regional fisheries committee of Brittany.

“This EU project is not based on any scientific consideration proving its usefulness.

This is a political measure aimed at responding to the media emotion created by some environmentalist NGOs ”, he added.

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At the end of May, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (Ciem) recommended new measures to limit these catches, namely "a combination of temporary closures of problematic fisheries" and the use of "pingers" (acoustic devices intended for to keep cetaceans away) on pelagic trawlers.

He also mentioned alternatives such as a four-week closure (mid-January to mid-February) of all trades or an annual 40% drop in fishing effort in problematic fisheries.

"Unacceptable" catches according to the European Commissioner

The fishermen undertake "if their demands are satisfied" to "accept on board independent observers" and "say they are ready to participate in scientific research programs", according to the press release from the Morbihan fisheries committee.

In February, the European Commissioner for Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevicius judged the level of bycatch of these protected cetaceans "unacceptable".

According to him, more than 11,300 dolphins died in the nets of the fishermen of the Bay of Biscay during the last winter.

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