Image: Bloom / FIS

Bloom denounces illegal practices by Belgian and Dutch fishing vessels in France

FRANCE
Tuesday, February 14, 2023, 07:00 (GMT + 9)

The Bloom association publishes several incriminating elements of Belgian and Dutch vessels of illegal practices, in particular bass fishing, which is prohibited at this time of year.

On LinkedIn, Laetitia Bisiaux, project manager at Bloom, an association that works for marine conservation, publishes several incriminating elements of European fishermen.

Lack of rigor in the mandatory weighing

A French fisherman thus filmed on February 2, at the port of Le Havre, a Belgian ship landing its fish directly in a truck, without going through the compulsory weighing stage. A legal practice, the load can be weighed in Belgium, but the association denounces the lack of rigor of this practice, since part of the cargo can then be sold on the way, beyond any control.

Illegally caught bass

The members of the association monitored the social networks of the captain of the offending boat, and this time they obtained proof of illegal practices, the latter having posted a photo of him in front of crates containing bars. “However, it is strictly PROHIBITED to fish, hold, transfer, transship and land bass in February and March due to biological rest” we explain at Bloom.

Generalized practices

Bloom cites two other cases of ships, Dutch this time, having fished for bass using the demersal seine during this prohibited period and having landed it in Boulogne-sur-Mer. However, control should be systematic.

Mandatory and systematic checks

The NGO's project manager concludes by asking the Minister of the Sea, Hervé Berville, "to put an end to the impunity of industrialists by setting up compulsory and systematic checks on vessels that leave to sell their catches at auctions at the foreign ".

By Virginie Pinson

[email protected]
www.seafood.media

Print