CASINO SUPERMARKET LISTENS TO THE FRENCH, THEIR PRESIDENT DOESN’T

03 December 2013

71% of French people want FRANÇOIS HOLLANDE to support the ban on deep-sea trawling. French supermarket, Casino, WITHDRAWS deep-sea species from SALE.

Yesterday morning, BLOOM revealed that 71% of French people wanted François Hollande to support the European proposal to ban deep-sea trawl fishing, according to the results of a BVA survey analyzing a representative sample of 1007 respondents from November 15 to November 18, 2013 (before the issue went viral as a result of Pénélope Bagieu’s comic strip).

 

Yesterday, BLOOM and the GoodPlanet Foundation also received written confirmation from Casino that from January 1, 2014, the chain will stop selling the main deep-sea species (black scabbardfish, grenadier, and cusk), and that it will continue to follow its 2007 decision not to sell blue ling and orange roughy. Casino also stated that since April 2012, its stores have been committed to supporting French artisan fishing, via a specific distribution network in partnership with French ports (Lorient, Concarneau, Cherbourg, Fécamp, Granville, Saint-Jean-de-Luz etc.) allowing buyers to purchase the “catch of the day.”

 

Yesterday, BLOOM submitted the first 653,148 signatures on a petition to François Hollande, requesting his unambiguous support for the European proposal to ban deep-sea trawling. Boxes and boxes of printouts: a spectacular list of signatories. With it, BLOOM sent a letter signed by various figures, including Hélène de Fougerolles, who, with BLOOM, acts as an ambassador for the protection of the deep oceans.

 

The letter addressed to the President of the French Republic asked him to heed the explicit request from almost 700,000 citizens to “bring an end to the ecological and economic nonsense of deep-sea trawl fishing, which decimates around 100 species, including endangered species.” The letter emphasizes that “Deep-sea fishing is not an environmentally, economically, or socially acceptable fishing method. The French people are against it. Scientists are against it. Private players are taking measures that go beyond the regulatory framework, which they are aware does not meet the pressing ecological need.”

 

Until now, the French government has said nothing regarding the mobilization of its people, and has not changed its official position. It has continued to defend this loss-making and subsidized activity of three industrial conglomerates (particularly French supermarket chain, Intermarché) tooth and nail.

 

“Under pressure from almost 700,000 citizens, plus private stakeholders such as Casino who have shown courage and foresight, how long will François Hollande continue to ignore this urgent issue?” asked Claire Nouvian, BLOOM’s founder. On December 10, the European Parliament will vote on the ban on deep-sea trawling. “Will the French socialist delegation choose once again to ridicule itself by opposing the European socialists, as it did for the vote on the Common Fisheries Policy? We hope at least that the French people’s extraordinary mobilization will encourage the French MEPs to depart from the path indicated by their advisors on fishing: Alain Cadec (UMP / Union for a Popular Movement) and Isabelle Thomas (French Socialist Party), who are both representatives from Brittany: France’s main fishing region.”

 

Finally, 311 researchers have signed the statement of support in favor of stopping the most destructive deep-sea fishing practices.