France has announced a temporary ban on almost all commercial fishing in the Bay of Biscay to protect dolphins.
As Agence France Press (AFP) reports, the restriction extending from Finistere in Brittany to the seas off the Spanish border will last until February 20th and will affect all vessels over eight metres long, regardless of origin.
It is expected to affect up to 450 French vessels, and the French government has promised supports for its fishing fleet and seafood sector.
The French senior administrative court, the State council, had ordered the restriction last year after environmental groups called for better protection.
AFP reports that CIEM, a scientific body that tracks North Atlantic ecosystems, has for years urged a winter pause for some indiscriminate fishing techniques, and has estimated that around 9,000 dolphins die each year off the French Atlantic coast as a result of accidental capture.
French fishermen have criticised the move and have said the compensation offered by the French government is insufficient.
The French National Fisheries Committee (CNPMEM) has criticised what it calls "extremist NGOs", claiming that the marine mammals are "not endangered".
Fish processing companies estimate they could lose more than 60 million euros due to the temporary ban.
