On October 5, the prefect of Réunion decided to suspend the prefectural decree authorizing the harvesting of sharks along the coast of Réunion. A decision taken the day before the summary-suspension hearing was held at the administrative court. At the heart of the discussions, “the Shark Collective” ((Sea Shepherd France, Longitude 181, One Voice, Taille-Vent) requested the suspension of the prefectural decree of July 19, 2021 which authorized shark fishing up to the areas of enhanced protection (ZPR) level 2A of the Réunion Marine Reserve.
In a statement, the collective of associations reacts to the hearing of the administrative court and to this surprising decision of the State.
“As a reminder, four associations of our Collective (Sea Shepherd France, Longitude 181, One Voice, Taille-Vent) and the Vie Océane association had recently filed an appeal for annulment and an interim suspension against the prefectural decree n ° 1362 of July 19, 2021, organizing the sampling of tiger and bulldog sharks in ZPR 2A of the Réunion Marine Reserve for the period 2021-2023 (ZPR = reinforced protection zone).
The summary suspension was tried today, October 6 at the administrative court. As the only response to our arguments, the prefect of Reunion yesterday sent the court a memorandum in which he announced the withdrawal of the contested decree. In short, the State gave up its arms even before starting the fight… ..
The most alarming thing about this story is that the prefect only puts forward the only explanation for his decision as the pretext of a public consultation, made compulsory by article L.120-1 of the environment code, which would have been “forgotten” by its services.
Should we recall that in 2017, at the time of Cap Requin, a public consultation had already been organized for exactly the same reason: a draft decree aiming to go shark fishing in the ZPR of the Marine Reserve?
At the time, more than 10 valid emails had been received, mostly from Reunion Island (but also from mainland France and abroad: the ocean is a common heritage of humanity), of which 000, i.e. nearly 7971% were opposed to the project!
The prefect had therefore given up on his draft decree. This had not prevented him from taking, a year and a half later, an order (n ° 298 of February 15, 2019) to actually launch shark fishing in the ZPR 2A of the Marine Reserve! Exit public opinion….
He then pretended (cf. the recitals of the decree), an alleged “consultation carried out in 2018 with the Scientific Council of the [Marine Reserve]”.
It is true that the regional council, chaired at the time by Mr. Didier Robert, had carried out in 2017 the same kind of “consultation” by subjecting the Marine Reserve to an odious blackmail: to remove 230 euros from its already meager budget. , to force it to accept all-out shark fishing in areas of enhanced protection.
Currently, the prefect justifies the continuation of shark fishing in the ZPR 2A of the Marine Reserve by the fact that the previous decree, that of 2019, not having been repealed, it still runs until December 31, 2021. Which is already questionable.
A new public consultation will therefore be organized before this date. It is important to remain extremely vigilant on the dates of this consultation, knowing that transparency has never been the strong point of either the prefecture or the Requin Security Center.
Our goal is, clearly, to stop the destruction of sharks everywhere in Reunion, and at least in the ZPR 2A of the Marine Reserve.
For the rest, the public will know that following the 166 violations of the regulations of the Marine Reserve of which the Shark Safety Center has been guilty for 4 years, violations noted by the Scientific Council of the said reserve, our associations have filed 5 complaints against “X” to the public prosecutor.
These complaints are currently under investigation. ”
Didier Derand, Representative of the Collective
A new public consultation:
In 2017 a public consultation on the cap shark program took place. The decree already at the time had been rejected by the public. The prefect was 1 years after promulgating this decree and those without any public consultation were in 2019. Today the chessboard changes a little again, but this time in favor of the Ocean.
The prefect justifies the continuation of shark fishing in the Marine Reserve by the fact that this decree of 2019, very questionable, had not been repealed and that it still runs until December 31, 2021. A new consultation should therefore be organized before December 31, 2021.
The “sharks collective” has also lodged 5 complaints against X, the shark safety center has carried out more than 4 offenses in 166 years which go against the regulations of the marine park.
It is important to note that today in Reunion, mentalities are changing, a large part of the population is for the preservation of its fauna. The opponents of this conservation are no more than a few belligerent who are especially very noisy or in administrative positions, the tide is turning and it is up to the Reunionese to start again on a healthy basis.
We invite you all to offer your support to the member associations of the collectives for their actions, but don't forget to support the page “against shark fishing ” which greatly contributed to the establishment of these 166 offenses.