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Dutch-owned trawler FV Margiris, the world’s second-biggest fishing vessel, has shed greater than 100,000 useless fish into the Atlantic Ocean off France.
France’s maritime minister, Annick Girardin, referred to as the pictures of the useless fish – which shaped a floating carpet of carcasses noticed by environmental campaigners – “surprising” and has requested the nationwide fishing surveillance authority to launch an investigation.
Virginijus Sinkevicius, the European commissioner for atmosphere, oceans and fisheries, additionally stated he was searching for “exhaustive data and proof in regards to the case”.
The spill, which occurred early on Thursday, was attributable to a rupture within the trawler’s internet, stated fishing business group the Pelagic Freezer-Trawler Affiliation (PFA), which represents the vessel’s proprietor. In a press release, the group referred to as the spill a “very uncommon prevalence”.
“Consistent with EU legislation, this has been recorded within the vessel’s log e book and reported to the authorities of the vessel’s flag state, Lithuania,” it stated. It added that the useless fish could be subtracted from the vessel’s quota.
The French arm of marketing campaign group Sea Shepherd first revealed photos of the spill, displaying the ocean’s floor lined by a dense layer of blue whiting, a sub-species of cod, used to mass-produce fish fingers, fish oil and meal. It stated the spill concerned greater than 100,000 fish and lined an space of about 3,000 sq m (32,300 sq ft).
Trawlers just like the Margiris use drag nets greater than a kilometre lengthy and course of the fish in onboard factories, a follow closely criticised by environmentalists.
After protests by activists, the Margiris was compelled to go away Australian waters in 2012. The vessel had a quota to haul 18,000 tonnes of fish from the ocean however was banned by the then Labor atmosphere minister Tony Burke following a public outcry.
Visitors information by marinetraffic.com on Friday confirmed the vessel, which is owned by the Dutch firm Parleviliet & Van der Plas and sails underneath the flag of Lithuania, was nonetheless engaged in fishing actions off the French coast.
With Reuters
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