Brussels, 17/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - In Le Havre on Thursday 16 July, French President Nicolas Sarkozy set out the main objectives of France's maritime policy in transport, fishing and protecting the environment.
While re-stating that “we will not allow fishing to disappear from this country”, he stressed at length the need to “protect the sea's natural resources so that they can be better and more sustainably used”. “We have to protect the fisheries resources to derive the benefit for fisheries,” he said
“The time has, I believe, come to base all our public marine resources management decisions on reliable, independent and shared scientific advice,” Sarkozy said. Within the context of the debate on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), French President said that France would respect “the scientific advice delivered” and would support “the inclusion of bluefin tuna in the annex to the international convention on endangered wild species, to ban trade in this species”.
He also gave assurances that protected maritime zones would account for 10% of the French maritime area “by 2012” and 20% by 2020 (at present on 1% is protected!) and that the capacity of marine energy production will be “more than 6,000 megawatts” by the same date, two further Sea Grenelle recommendations. (L.C./transl.rt)