The departmental fisheries committee of Finistère accused Sea Shepherd of "
endangering the safety of sailors
" after an incident at sea on Thursday, an accusation rejected Friday by the NGO.
Thursday morning, activists of the association aboard a semi-rigid, campaigning for the protection of dolphins, "
would have shone their spotlight on a small fishing vessel blinding the owner who could not read the screens on the bridge," thus endangering its navigation.
Sea Shepherd activists deliberately stepped between the boat and its nets.
An unacceptable and dangerous action for everyone
, ”denounced the departmental fisheries committee of Finistère in a press release Thursday.
Read also: A third of fish species still victims of overfishing in France
Friday, the national committee drove the point home in a press release entitled "
enough
".
“
What was supposed to constitute a fight for the preservation of the oceans and biodiversity is now akin to a guerrilla war, accompanied by a communication campaign sometimes bordering on disinformation, adopting more than questionable practices on social networks and occupying the 'media space thanks to a totem animal (the dolphin, editor's note) which - contrary to its assertions - is not in danger
”.
On Friday afternoon, Sea Shepherd reacted strongly in a long statement.
“
Sea Shepherd is appalled by the attitude of the Fisheries Committee which, always and even today, has taken over from the worst representatives of the profession and continues to demonize the NGOs which are trying - quite legally - to lift the opacity on unsustainable fishing practices.
"
To read also: Jacqueline Goy: "Jellyfish proliferate because of overfishing"
For the organization, “
the dolphins and the ocean as a whole are paying the price for our destructive fishing practices and the general public has a right to know what is going on
”.
According to the NGO's website, “
thousands of dolphins are sacrificed each year in France to satisfy our appetite for fish
”.