Electric fishing: the nuanced discourse of the researchers contrasts with the alarmism of the media and NGOsThe debate was ... heated. In recent months, the "electric fishing" has made headlines. Described by the fishermen of the north of France, this technique is seen as destructive for the fish resource, especially sole. The responsibles ? Dutch fishermen who, with their boats armed with electrodes, catch all the fish and ravage the ecosystems. Requiring emergency assistance, the fishermen have made their voices heard by blocking access to several ports.
The fight against electric fishing has been supported by many elected officials , the French government , as well as NGOs, including Bloom who has led a campaign of several months strongly mobilizing public opinion. This case ended in January 2018 with a vote of the European Parliament, in favor of its prohibition , in a setback to a previous opinion of the Commission. Europe being what it is, the battle is not over yet.
Relaying the concerns of northern fishermen, the media mainly broadcast a categorical speech, taking for granted that electric fishing would be an ecological disaster . Fitted with a factual argument , Bloom has largely "given the " the criticism of electric fishing in France. In the absence of contradictory speech, the citizen will have retained that this technique destroys everything and that it must be prohibited.
In reality, it is not so simple. But it is quite difficult to realize it by limiting itself to French content. The French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (Ifremer), not working directly on the subject, redirects the requests to the syntheses of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), in which it participates. The work of this inter-governmental scientific body, painting a very nuanced picture, should have served as a starting point for the debate, but was rarely mentioned in the press. An exchange with Maarten Soetaert , Belgian researcher and co-chair of the working group on electric fishing at ICES, sheds light on this complex debate.
What are we talking about ?
Tested punctually since the 1960s , electric fishing was banned in Europe in 1998, as elsewhere in the world, for fear of increasing the efficiency of trawlers. In 2006, Europe allows states to equip their vessels with electrodes, 5% of their fleet in the southern part of the North Sea, mainly exploited by the Dutch. Their high-energy bottom trawlers were suffering from high oil prices, so the conversion to the new electric trawls meant considerable savings, with a reduction in fuel consumption of up to 50% .
The fact that only a handful of fishermen can take advantage of this windfall has created resentment among those who did not have a license. This prompted the Netherlands to seek successive derogations in order to obtain more licenses for electric fishing. Today, 84 of their ships are equipped, which far exceeds the quota of 5% expected.
It must be realized that these electrical equipment were installed on boats that initially practiced beam trawling , for fishing sole and shrimp. As a reminder, this method involves dragging at a steady speed a net, ballasted by chains, on the bottom. The net thus traps the desired fish, but also, despite the progress, many non-marketable fish (too small or other species), invertebrates living on the bottom ( benthos ) and debris. In addition to this lack of selectivity, the physical damage of bottom trawling is well documented , prompting specialists to consider it to be the worst fishing method used in the North Sea.
Electric fishing is positioning itself as an alternative to conventional trawling . With an electric trawl, electrical impulses applied to the seabed dislodge fish to the net. The pulses used depend on the target species: from 40 Hz, the sole has a very marked cramp reaction, which facilitates its capture and thus improves (modestly) the selectivity. Likewise, pulses at 5 Hz make the shrimp jump upwards while minimizing the impact on other species. It should be noted that the net itself is not electrified, and that the electrical pulses serve not to kill but to promote capture.
The functioning of electric fishing has rarely been correctly explained in the press, where there has been talk of "taser fishing" and "electrocuted" fish. In a brief from the Ministry of Agriculture, we read that "[the] fish are attracted by electrode nets, paralyzed by the magnetic field, and then rise to the surface. " Such a concentration of inaccuracies in one sentence is staggering: it is no issue of attracting fish, or fillets of electrodes or magnetic field, or brought to the surface. Yet these blunders, probably from a dark confusion with electrofishing in fresh water, were repeated in the press .
The lightness and reduced speed of electric trawls significantly limit the mechanical impact of electric trawls on the seabed and fuel consumption compared to conventional trawlers. But then, how to explain the hostility towards electric fishing?
Misleading speech in the headlines
Since Bloom's speech has been widely resumed, it is interesting to submit it for critical examination. In their objection to a caricature of the arguments of proponents of electric fishing, it is recalled that research on the subject is limited, which is true. However, the purpose of the association is repeatedly patently false or misleading in light of what the studies have shown.
Quoting a laboratory study , Bloom says loudly that pulses cause fractures of the spine in 50-70% of exposed cod. However, these figures are not at all representative because they relate to exposure very close to the electrode at maximum power. The risk of fracture drops at some distance from the electrode, as other experiments have shown . In addition, the analysis under real conditions shows fractures for only 10% of the cod caught, only among the largest (young cod are not affected). Incidentally, it should be known that because of decompression damage on their swim bladderwhen the nets are raised, the released cod generally do not survive , with or without fracture.
Then, it is argued that electricity weakens the immune system of worms and shrimp, making them more susceptible to infections. Bloom quotes precisely a publication by Maarten Soetaert for this purpose, which is a shame according to him:
"I did not see anything like that on the worms. One effect was noted for shrimp, but in a later study looking into the issue, these results were not corroborated: the infections were probably not related to impulses. "
Bloom is also mistaken in saying that no research has been conducted on electro-sensitive sharks ( no adverse effects found ), and eggs, larvae and juveniles ( see here for cod, suggesting adverse effects for some stages to high exposure at 5 Hz). In addition, eggs are generally not at the bottom of the oceans, the probability that they are affected by electric fishing is a priori low. Research must continue, however, because there are still large unknowns about the longer-term effects on different species and life stages.
Bloom relies on the ban on electric fishing in China to say the technique is devastating for biodiversity. In reality, the source cited points to a global problem of overfishing linked to the lack of regulation. In Europe, total allowable catches (TACs) are available, determined by the evolution of fish resources assessed by ICES, with the aim of avoiding over-exploitation. This regulation has allowed a very clear improvement in the state of North-East Atlantic stocks over the last fifteen years. For sole in the North Sea, which is becoming scarce according to the fishermen, experts believe that the stock is worn properly. This discrepancy can be explained: resources are assessed across the North Sea, which can hide local problems related to too much concentration of fishing activity, whether electric or not. It should be noted that an electric trawler, which is presented as ultra-efficient, draws far fewer fish during its passage than a conventional trawler.
One can understand the frustration of some French fishermen, who defend their interests. Nevertheless, it must be realized that their difficulties probably derive more from excessive local competition between different fishing techniques for the same resource, whose evolution is complex, than of electric fishing per se . Asked by France on this subject, ICES considersthe risk to species and habitats is low. Admittedly, the more "artisanal" fishing methods will always have a lesser impact on the environment, but it is not certain that these techniques make it possible to reach the TACs if they were to be generalized in the North Sea. This would be good news for ecosystems, but European consumers may not appreciate.
Ecology deserves a more mature reflection
Knowledge about the impacts of electric fishing remains fragmented and needs further investigation, but already suggests clear advantages over conventional bottom trawling. Rather than presenting this nuanced reality, Bloom draws a partial portrait by drawing in the studies passages that are out of context, a classical approach that comes from manipulation. The militant objectives therefore clearly go before intellectual honesty and respect for science. It is always prejudicial that environmentalists convey a speech that is not scientifically sound, because it discredits the entire movement.
Contrary to what has happened abroad, the debate in France consisted in holding a single speech and relaying uncritically all the imaginable arguments against electric fishing, even the most fanciful . For example, 200 chefs have committed not to use fish from electric fishing because their quality would be execrable. When asked about this, the author of the manifesto refers to Frédéric Le Manach, Scientific Director of Bloom, who reportedly told not to know of members supporting these claims (the person denies the remarks). Maarten Soetaert points out that"If the fish was so bad, the Dutch fishermen would not sell it at a better price than traditional trawlers".
The prohibition of electric fishing, if it takes place, will at least have the merit of giving time to the research to deepen the knowledge of the impact of electric trawls. ICES further considers that the current rules do not allow for proper control of the characteristics of the trawls used. Note that Bloom, citing this remark, was careful not to include the beginning of the sentence, stating that the systems currently used "do not seem to have a major negative impact" .
It can be considered that the lack of hindsight with respect to electric fishing may justify application of the precautionary principle. But in parallel, it must be taken into account that a total ban on electric fishing will in fact lead to a return to classic bottom trawling, which remains authorized and whose perverse effects are well known . More carbon dioxide and diesel pollution will be expected, more bycatch, and more mechanical damage to the seabed. Despite all the good intentions, based on false information, we risk taking counter-productive measures for the environment.
As for the ethical aspect on the feeling of the fish, here too it is necessary to remain coherent. More violent electric shocks have long been used in aquaculture or slaughterhouses to stun animals. As long as we do not rebel against these practices, yet considered more "human", it is absurd to specifically condemn the use of impulses by electric trawls.
Medium.comMet google translate vertaald, orginele Franse artikel achter de link.