Brussels, 25/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - In a press statement Greenpeace explained that the measures adopted on Monday evening by European fisheries ministers would not prevent small whales dying in fishing nets (EUROPE 24 March 2004 p 11). This organisation also criticises the too low number of independent observers in charge of inspections and points out that there are no rules for determining that the practices of fishermen when observers confirm the capture of cetacea.
According to Greenpeace, the regulation is essentially based on methods of acoustic dissuasion whose efficiency has not yet been entirely proven as yet. The compulsory setting up of sonar echo devices has been delayed by three years depending on the zone (compared to the initial proposal), points out Greenpeace, which adds that boats that contain the devices will not be obliged to take on board any observers. Pierre Ramel from Greenpeace France declared that "before these only too modest advances are put into practice, thousands of dolphins and porpoises will continue to be fatally caught by European fishermen. Moreover, this new regulation does not affect activities on the coasts of Africa or in the Pacific".