In de afgelopen zes weken zijn zeshonderd dode dolfijnen aangespoeld op Franse stranden in de Vendée, de Charente Maritime en de Gironde. Dit is echter slechts het topje van de ijsberg, aangezien meer dan 80% van de lichamen, vaak gestript, zinkt. De meeste van de gevonden lichamen zijn verminkt, met afgehakte vinnen, gaff-haaksporen, diepe sneden en gebroken neuzen door vangst in vistuig. Deze dolfijnen, die de winter doorbrengen in de Golf van Biskaje, zijn het slachtoffer van niet-selectieve visserijactiviteiten (met inbegrip van trawlers, Deense zegenvissers en kieuwnetten) die zijn gericht op de vangst van zeebaars en heek voor de Franse markt. Volgens wetenschappers die de lichamen hebben onderzocht, worden de dolfijnen ook gedood door Franse en buitenlandse schepen die zich bezighouden met industrieel vissen voor surimi en vismeel, verder uit de kust.

"We worden geconfronteerd met een absurd visserijbeleid dat uiterst destructief en niet-selectief vistuig in kwetsbare gebieden toestaat tijdens het broedseizoen van de zeebaars, waar beschermde soorten, zoals dolfijnen, bijzonder kwetsbaar zijn voor vangst," zei Lamya Essemlali, directeur van Sea Shepherd Frankrijk.

"We zijn het zat om de waarschuwingen van wetenschappers jaar na jaar genegeerd te zien worden. Wij zijn de onverschilligheid van de visserijcommissies en het ministerie zat, die beweren al twintig jaar aan het probleem te werken", zegt Essemlali. 

More about Operation Dolphin ByCatch

From January through March an average of 6,000 dolphins are killed each year on France’s west coast by large industrial trawlers and vessels fishing in pairs (nets dragged between two trawlers). That number could be as high as 10,000 according to the Pelagis Observatory, based in La Rochelle. This is much more than the dolphin massacres of the Danish Faroe Islands and the Taiji Cove (Japan) combined. These vessels target sea bass spawning grounds during the breeding season. Dolphins that typically live alongside sea bass are caught in fishing nets that capture everything in their path indiscriminately. Most of the dolphins die in the nets, and those pulled up alive usually die from wounds inflicted by fishermen onboard the vessels.This practice not only threatens sea bass populations, but is also deadly to dolphins trapped and drowned in the nets as by-catch. In February 2018, Sea Shepherd’s Bob Barker crew passing through La Rochelle filmed the trawlers Jeremi Simon and Promethée pulling up their nets with two dolphins trapped inside (see article and footage here).

Dolphin populations may be wiped out on the Atlantic Coast of France

Year after year, the Pelagis Observatory has published alarming reports about the declining dolphin populations, including a 2016 report signed by the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Pélagis and the University of La Rochelle that predicts the mortality inflicted on dolphins by fishing vessels jeopardizes the survival of the population in the medium term. However the French State is turning a deaf ear to all the scientists' warnings on the subject.

Intentionally opaque reporting of by-catch numbers keeps the public in the dark

"By-catch" is the nondescript term used to describe the hecatomb of dolphins taking place each year along French coasts, a slaughter that takes place in total and tightly-guarded opacity. In fact, although the law requires fishermen to declare their dolphin catches, in practice the State has not designated any regulatory body to receive this data. This vacuum prevents any monitoring of the mortality inflicted on marine mammals by trawlers. The Pelagis Observatory is qualified and capable of receiving this data but has not obtained the authorization to do so. Furthermore, no funds have been allocated to the implementation of more selective fishing techniques, even though these funds exist. Industrial fishing is heavily subsidized in France, but reducing dolphin mortality is not one of the priorities of the State's fisheries policy.

Please support Sea Shepherd's campaign to bring this issue into the light and help put an end to the needless slaughter of thousands of dolphins in France, donate now.