France's agriculture ministry said Wednesday that it had officially banned electric pulse fishing from its territorial waters, ahead of a total ban of the contested practice in the European Union set for 2021.

French fishermen have long railed against pulse fishing by their Dutch counterparts, calling it unfair competition that leads to unsustainable stock depletions.

Dozens of top European chefs have also denounced the technique, in which electrically charged lines are dragged above the seafloor to shock sole and other low-lying fish upwards into nets -- they claim it results in poor-quality catches.

Dutch fishermen dispute the claims, but in April the European Parliament voted to outlaw the practice starting in 2021.

France had vowed to implement the ban sooner, a move that will forbid Dutch vessels from using the practice in French territorial waters.

The method is already outlawed in many parts of the world, including China, but proponents say it is environmentally friendly and results in lower fuel usage for boats.

The EU had previously allowed member states to equip up to five percent of their fleets with electrodes.

Fishermen in the Netherlands pioneered the technique and invested heavily in equipping their boats with the electrified lines, though only 84 vessels were using the technique -- a small fraction of the country's fleet. </s> Five EU nations, including France and the Netherlands, which currently have permission to fish up to six miles from our shores, will be banned from fishing the area. Between them, the five countries catch thousands of tones of fish worth millions of pounds within the zone off British shores. However, the Government will announce tomorrow that it is withdrawing from the London Fisheries Convention. This will mean the five countries will be banned from fishing within 12 miles of the coast.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove, whose father Ernest’s Aberdeen fishing business closed down because of Brussels bureaucracy, said: “Leaving the London Fisheries Convention is an important moment as we take back control of our fishing policy. It means for the first time in more than 50 years we will be able to decide who can access our waters. “This is an historic first step towards building a new domestic fishing policy as we leave the European Union – one which leads to a more competitive, profitable and sustainable industry for the whole of the UK.” Signed in 1964 before the UK joined the European Union, the London Fisheries Convention allows vessels from five European countries to fish within six and 12 nautical miles of the UK’s coastline. An estimated 10,000 tons of fish, including mackerel and herring, was caught by fishing vessels from Convention countries France, Belgium, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands in 2015 within 12 nautical miles of the British coast – worth an estimated £17million.

The agreement sits alongside the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which allows all European vessels access between 12 and 200 nautical miles of the UK and sets quotas for how much fish each nation can catch. It had already been announced that Britain will no longer be bound by the CFP post-Brexit, but without action, restrictions under the historic London Fisheries Convention would have still applied. Tomorrow, the UK will notify the other Member States signed up to the Convention, triggering a two-year withdrawal period. As announced in the Queen’s Speech, the Government will introduce a Fisheries Bill to control access to the UK’s waters and set fishing quotas once we have left the EU. Britain’s new fishing policy will “allow the fishing industry and coastal communities to thrive, in line with our international obligations, as we build a deep and special partnership with the European Union after Brexit,” said a Defra statement.

A source said: “This is another sign Brexit is happening and that we are taking back control. British fishermen will be very happy.” A defining image of the referendum campaign last year was Nigel Farage having a slanging match with Sir Bob Geldof while the then Ukip leader sailed down the Thames with disgruntled fishermen. Yesterday, speaking about leaving the convention Mr Farage said: “That’s good as far as it goes, and to claim Sovereignty over our 12-mile fishing limit is a start, but international law changed in 1976 and our rights now are 200 miles or the median line from the mainland so what I want to know is are we going to claim our full rights under international law?” Barrie Deas, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, said: “This is welcome news and an important part of establishing the UK as an independent coastal state with sovereignty over its own exclusive economic zone.” </s> PARIS:- France on Saturday banned the breeding in captivity of dolphins and killer whales under tighter rules that campaigners hope will eventually herald the end of shows involving the animals. Environment Minister Segolene Royal had on Wednesday signed a version of the legislation introducing “tight controls on the reproduction of dolphins”, her ministry said in a statement. But she has since decided the rules need to be “more radical”, her ministry told AFP on Saturday, particularly after learning that “some animals were drugged” in aquariums.–AFP </s> France’s highest administrative court has suspended a ban on the burkini in a Riviera coastal town after a challenge by rights groups.

The ruling from the state council suspends a single decree against full-body swimsuits issued by the mayor in the southern resort of Villeneuve-Loubet, near Nice. But it is likely to set a precedent for other towns that have banned the swimwear on their beaches.

The state council ruled that the mayor did not have the right to issue a burkini ban – stating that local authorities could only restrict individual liberties if there was a “proven risk” to public order. It believed that proven risk had not been demonstrated.

The bans – made in the form of short-term mayoral decrees – began to be issued in a series of beach spots following the Bastille Day attack in Nice and the murder of a priest in Normandy.

They do not explicitly use the word burkini but ban “beachwear which ostentatiously displays religious affiliation”, citing reasons such as the need to protect public order, hygiene or French laws on secularism.

At a hearing before the state council on Thursday, lawyers for the rights groups in the Villeneuve-Loubet case argued that the bans were feeding fear and infringe on basic freedom. 



A lower court had ruled on Monday that the Villeneuve-Loubet ban was necessary to prevent public disorder. But the state council found that this did not hold up under French law. 



The row over burkinis had intensified after a woman in a headscarf was photographed on a beach in Nice removing a long-sleeved top while surrounded by armed police.

The city banned the burkini on its beaches last week, following about 15 seaside areas in south-east France where mayors had done the same.

The bans have divided France’s government and society and drawn anger abroad. The former president, Nicolas Sarkozy, campaigning for his party’s nomination to run again as president in 2017, used his first public rally this week to call for a nationwide ban on the swimsuits, while the Socialist government has become divided, with the prime minister and one of its leading feminist voices at cabinet-level taking opposing positions.

The burkini bans have prompted a row over the French principle of laïcité – secularism – amid accusations that politicians are twisting and distorting this principle for political gain, and using it to target Muslims.



The French republic is built on a strict separation of church and state, intended to foster equality for all private beliefs. In theory, the state is neutral in terms of religion and allows everyone the freedom to practise their faith as long as there is no threat to public order. </s> Franceplans to outlaw all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, its new environment minister, Nicolas Hulot, has announced.

It will also ban any "new project to use petrol, gas or coal", as well as shale oil, by that date.

The radical measures were unveiled at a press conference this morning as part of French president Emmanuel Macron's plans to make France a carbon neutral country by 2050 and "make the planet great again".

Mr Hulot, a former star wildlife TV presenter, announced "the end of the sale of petrol or vehicles between now and 2040." </s> Two spear fishermen caught fishing at night in a closed area using an underwater light source face fines of up to €8500, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research said on Tuesday.

It said that officials had handled a case of fishing in a closed area using prohibited methods in cooperation with the coastguard.

The department said that it had received a tip off at around 9 pm on Sunday that spear fishermen were fishing using underater fishing lights in the protected sea area at Dasoudi, Limassol.

Officials from the department and the coastguard found the two individuals. In their possession they had spear guns and fish which had been illegally fished that were confiscated as evidence.

The two were reported to police and face fines of up to €8,500.

The Fisheries Department said that fishing without a permit, fishing in a no fishing area and fishing using lights after sunset are prohibited. </s> The French Government have announced that, by 2040, the nation will ban all petrol and diesel fuelled vehicles.

The new French Environment minister, Nicolas Hulot, made the bold statement earlier today, also adding that France pledges to be carbon neutral ten years later, by 2050.

The news comes on the same day that Swedish automotive giants Volvo have committed to stop producing solely petrol and diesel powered cars as soon as 2019, focusing its production towards hybrid vehicles, that run of both traditional fuels but also electricity.

Of course, this progressive move by the French government will be a shot in the arm for environmental campaigners, but will also have a significant impact on the motoring industry, and the estimated 38 million car owners already living in France.

However, Hulot suggested that the government had already conceived projects that ensure the country “can fulfill that promise”, including poorer households being offered a premium to allow them to swap their traditional fuelled vehicle for one that is better for the environment.

Today’s announcement is part of a five year plan that will see France encourage green energy use, and fulfil the nation’s commitment to the Paris Agreement, something US president Donald Trump has reneged on in June this year.

“We want to demonstrate that fighting against climate change can lead to an improvement of French people’s daily lives” Hulot stated at a press conference. France has joined the netherland and norway, who want to see the end of petrol and diesel cars as soon as 2025, along with german and India, who’ve committed to similar plan by 2030.

You May Also Like:

The High Ground | The Story Of The Crane-Climbing Activists Arrested For Opposing Donald Trump

10 Animals That Look Like Donald Trump </s> France on Saturday banned the breeding in captivity of dolphins and killer whales under tighter rules that campaigners hope will eventually herald the end of shows involving the animals.

Environment Minister Segolene Royal had on Wednesday signed a version of the legislation introducing "tight controls on the reproduction of dolphins", her ministry said in a statement.

But she has since decided the rules need to be "more radical", her ministry told AFP on Saturday, particularly after learning that "some animals were drugged" in aquariums.

The new rules ban the captivity of all whales, dolphins and porpoises, except for orcas and bottlenose dolphins already held in authorised aquariums. </s> The Government is withdrawing the UK from an arrangement that allows foreign countries to fish in British waters, it has announced.

Ministers will trigger withdrawal from the London Fisheries Convention, signed in 1964 before the UK joined the European Union, to start the two-year process to leave the agreement.

The convention allows vessels from France, Belgium, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands to fish within six and 12 nautical miles of the UK's coastline.

It sits alongside the EU Common Fisheries Policy which allows all European countries access between 12 and 200 nautical miles of the UK and sets quotas for how much fish nations can catch.

Ministers claimed the move would help take back control of fishing access to UK waters, as it will no longer be bound by existing access agreements, and enable the country to become fully responsible for fisheries management.

UK vessels will also lose the right to fish in the waters six to 12 nautical miles offshore of the other countries.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: "Leaving the London Fisheries Convention is an important moment as we take back control of our fishing policy.

"It means for the first time in more than 50 years we will be able to decide who can access our waters.

"This is an historic first step towards building a new domestic fishing policy as we leave the European Union - one which leads to a more competitive, profitable and sustainable industry for the whole of the UK."

Barrie Deas, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, said: "This is welcome news and an important part of establishing the UK as an independent coastal state with sovereignty over its own exclusive economic zone."

The UK fishing industry was made up of more than 6,000 vessels in 2015, landing 708,000 tonnes of fish worth £775 million.

Some 10,000 tonnes of fish was caught by other countries under the convention, worth an estimated £17 million.

Will McCallum, Greenpeace UK head of oceans, warned that pulling out of the London Convention would not alone deliver a better future for the UK fishing industry.

"For years, successive UK governments have blamed Brussels for their own failure to support the small-scale, sustainable fishers who are the backbone of our fishing fleet," he said.

"If Brexit is to herald a better future for our fishers, the new Environment Secretary Michael Gove must keep the 2015 Conservative Party manifesto commitment to re-balance fishing quotas in favour of 'small-scale, specific locally-based fishingcommunities'."

Environmental law firm ClientEarth consultant Dr Tom West said the move appeared to be an aggressive negotiating tactic.

"As a country outside the EU we need to consider how we can best co-operate with our neighbours rather than unilaterally withdrawing from all agreements in the hope that standing alone will make us better.

"Many fish stocks in UK waters are shared with our neighbours and so need co-operation and shared management."

He also warned of the need to put in place strong laws to protect marine wildlife, or there was a risk the UK would row back on hard-won environmental protection over the last 40 years.

Ben Stafford, head of campaigns at WWF, said: "Achieving sustainable fishing is about a lot more than which country fishes where.

"It is about ensuring that fishermen use the right fishing gear, that fishing takes place at levels that maintain sustainable stocks and that we pioneer ways to monitor what is happening at sea in order to understand the impacts of fishing.

"Leaving the EU means we could get these things right, but we will still need to co-operate with our neighbours, as fish do not recognise lines on a map."

Scotland's Fisheries Secretary Fergus Ewing said: "The UK Government's decision to withdraw from the London Fisheries Convention is a move we have been pressing for some time now.

"Our priority is to protect our fishing industry and allowing unrestricted access to our waters to remain through this convention clearly would not be doing that.

"We cannot rely on the UK Government to do that, having regularly put the interests offishing communities elsewhere in the UK ahead of those in Scotland.

"It is vital therefore that all powers over policy be repatriated to Scotland and current EU funding for fisheries be matched and transferred to Scotland in full."

Download our all-new mobile app to get the latest news, sport and whats on.

One quick sync and you can read our content on the move without being online. Get regular news alerts straight to your mobile and keep up with the latest traffic and travel or breaking events as they happen via our daily live blogs.

It's completely customisable to your own specific interests - Download it today by clicking here for iPhone and here for Android

Looking for an older story? Search our archives
France bans electric pulse fishing.