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Scottish Headlines
U.K. Headlines
| French fishery threatens critically endangered sharks |
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| Monday, 14 December 2009 16:34 | |||
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France is home to Europe’s only remaining targeted porbeagle fishery. The population is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Critically Endangered. Scientists and the European Commission have recommended ending all fishing of porbeagle and even to stop landing the sharks that are caught incidentally as “bycatch,” as these have high survival chances if released right away.
“It’s an outrage that France, the land of Descartes, of full faith in Reason, be the last country in Europe to target an animal in critical danger of extinction” said Claire Nouvian, President and founder of the Paris-based non-profit organization BLOOM. “There is no justification for these backwards practices. It’s as if we went out to kill the last gorillas. It is now crucial that France end this irresponsible stance and secure a brighter future for the porbeagle sharks.”
Porbeagle meat is among the most prized of all shark meat and particularly valuable in Europe. The large fins of porbeagles are also used in “shark fin soup”, an Asian delicacy.
In 2008 and 2009, France was allotted more than half of the EU total allowable catch (TAC) for porbeagle. Last December, the European Commission proposed and many Member States supported setting the porbeagle TAC at zero, but France used its position as EU President to push through a reduction of only 25%.
“Earlier this year, French President Sarkozy concluded the Grenelle de la Mer by promising to systematically apply scientific advice from now on. The Council of Fisheries Ministers will set 2010 fishing quotas in Brussels on December 14th and 15th,” added Claire Nouvian, “The recovery of the European porbeagle population now depends on the French government following the line set forth by President Sarkozy and agreeing to a zero catch limit for this critically endangered species.”
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