Fishing: Bloom Association Sues State in Attempt to Ban Bottom Trawling in France

Bloom will file an appeal with the Ministry of Ecological Transition, responsible for the sea, demanding that "measures be taken without delay to put an end to the ecological damage" in metropolitan waters, "significantly attributable to bottom trawling."

This appeal is a prerequisite to bringing the matter before the administrative court, before which Bloom intends to demonstrate that the "current practice" of bottom trawling "is not compatible with the European and national legal framework aimed at guaranteeing the protection of the marine environment."

"End ecological damage"

The NGO wants to see justice "lead the French state to take concrete measures to repair and put an end to the ecological damage" caused by this practice, which it considers destructive but is now legal, including in most marine protected areas (MPAs).

"We are aware that bottom trawlers are dependent on a system and have little margin," which is why we "advocate for a transition to sustainable fishing," explained Aymeric Thillaye du Boullay, legal director of the association, which was itself sued in June for "denigration" by French fishing organizations.

The NGO intends in particular to demonstrate that France is not respecting its European commitments. These are those set by the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which stipulates that "the negative impacts of fishing activities on the marine ecosystem are reduced to a minimum." And those set by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, which requires Member States to "maintain or restore good environmental status (GES) of marine ecosystems" by 2020 at the latest. Bloom, relying on scientific studies commissioned by the State to assess this GES, believes that the objective is not being met.