Environmental organizations are taking legal action against the French authorities to protect seabirds

The organizations ClientEarth, Sea Shepherd France, and Défense des Milieux Aquatiques are taking legal action against the French authorities, accusing them of failing to take adequate measures to protect seabirds from fishing activities—at a time when many species are facing extinction.

Every year, tens of thousands of seabirds die along the French coast as a result of becoming entangled in fishing gear—that is, as bycatch of gear targeting cod, sea bass, and tuna.

Nevertheless, solutions exist and are already being implemented in other countries.

The organizations are demanding that French authorities properly enforce existing European legislation protecting seabirds and are accusing France of inadequate data collection and failure to implement measures designed to reduce bycatch – thereby violating the European Birds and Habitats Directives and other European legislation.

It should be noted that the risk of bycatch has been recognized as a significant anthropogenic pressure—and in many cases is the sole cause of pressure—on the protection and conservation of numerous seabirds.