Emmanuel Macron Announces Limited Restrictions on Deep-Sea Trawling in French Marine Protected Areas
Environmental NGOs express skepticism over the French president's announcements ahead of the UN Ocean Summit.
Emmanuel Macron has announced new measures aimed at limiting deep-sea trawling in certain French Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), a decision that has sparked significant debate among environmental NGOs.
Macron's statements were made in a press interview prior to the UN Ocean Summit in Nice.
He acknowledged the detrimental effects of deep-sea trawling, which involves scraping the ocean floor, on biodiversity and ecosystems needing protection.
Environmental organizations, including Bloom and Greenpeace, responded with skepticism.
Bloom described Macron’s announcement as a mere continuation of the status quo, asserting that it indicated an ongoing lack of a binding framework to truly safeguard the so-called protected marine areas.
Greenpeace’s representative, François Chartier, recognized slight progress as the term 'deep-sea trawling' gained prominence in government communication but criticized the president for a perceived lack of ambition, noting the announcements fall short of meaningful action.
Greenpeace advocates for a total ban on deep-sea trawling in 30% of France's MPA waters, while Oceana expressed cautious optimism, referring to Macron's measures as a 'good first step.' Oceana's spokesperson, Nicolas Fournier, highlighted that prior discussions around such topics had been largely avoided.
According to a report published by Oceana, deep-sea trawling was conducted for 17,000 hours in French MPAs in 2024, prompting calls for a total prohibition of the practice.
Fournier pointed out that President Macron mentioned the Port-Cros MPA, which already prohibits trawling, suggesting that any new restrictions would have a negligible impact on biodiversity.
He emphasized that simply restricting deep-sea trawling does not equate to providing strict protection as such measures would need to include a complete ban on all extractive activities, including fishing.
Currently, 33% of French waters are classified under at least one MPA, though the majority permit all fishing practices.
Macron aims to reinforce protections in these MPAs to achieve the European goal of having 10% of maritime territory under strong protection by January 1, 2026, four years ahead of the target deadline.
Additionally, Macron criticized those advocating for a reduction in climate funding and emphasized the importance of prioritizing climate issues in public discourse.
He noted the interconnectedness of various global crises, including biodiversity loss, water scarcity, food security, public health, and climate change, stating these crises exacerbate each other.
Macron reaffirmed his commitment to supporting researchers and coastal city officials in combatting challenges posed by rising sea levels and increasing storm intensity.
The discourse surrounding Macron's announcements reflects a broader tension between governmental policies and environmental advocacy, particularly in the context of marine conservation and climate action.
Macron's statements were made in a press interview prior to the UN Ocean Summit in Nice.
He acknowledged the detrimental effects of deep-sea trawling, which involves scraping the ocean floor, on biodiversity and ecosystems needing protection.
Environmental organizations, including Bloom and Greenpeace, responded with skepticism.
Bloom described Macron’s announcement as a mere continuation of the status quo, asserting that it indicated an ongoing lack of a binding framework to truly safeguard the so-called protected marine areas.
Greenpeace’s representative, François Chartier, recognized slight progress as the term 'deep-sea trawling' gained prominence in government communication but criticized the president for a perceived lack of ambition, noting the announcements fall short of meaningful action.
Greenpeace advocates for a total ban on deep-sea trawling in 30% of France's MPA waters, while Oceana expressed cautious optimism, referring to Macron's measures as a 'good first step.' Oceana's spokesperson, Nicolas Fournier, highlighted that prior discussions around such topics had been largely avoided.
According to a report published by Oceana, deep-sea trawling was conducted for 17,000 hours in French MPAs in 2024, prompting calls for a total prohibition of the practice.
Fournier pointed out that President Macron mentioned the Port-Cros MPA, which already prohibits trawling, suggesting that any new restrictions would have a negligible impact on biodiversity.
He emphasized that simply restricting deep-sea trawling does not equate to providing strict protection as such measures would need to include a complete ban on all extractive activities, including fishing.
Currently, 33% of French waters are classified under at least one MPA, though the majority permit all fishing practices.
Macron aims to reinforce protections in these MPAs to achieve the European goal of having 10% of maritime territory under strong protection by January 1, 2026, four years ahead of the target deadline.
Additionally, Macron criticized those advocating for a reduction in climate funding and emphasized the importance of prioritizing climate issues in public discourse.
He noted the interconnectedness of various global crises, including biodiversity loss, water scarcity, food security, public health, and climate change, stating these crises exacerbate each other.
Macron reaffirmed his commitment to supporting researchers and coastal city officials in combatting challenges posed by rising sea levels and increasing storm intensity.
The discourse surrounding Macron's announcements reflects a broader tension between governmental policies and environmental advocacy, particularly in the context of marine conservation and climate action.
