🐟 Fishing series: The scandal of electric fishing: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Pulse fishing exemptions map.png|thumb|Thumbnailed image|A map showing the area for which exemptions were granted]]
[[File:Pulse fishing exemptions map.png|thumb|Thumbnailed image|A map showing the area for which exemptions were granted]]
[[File:Pulse fishing vote.jpg|thumb|Thumbnailed image|EU's 2017 vote to ban electric pulse fishing]]
[[File:Pulsevisserijverbod.jpg|thumb|Thumbnailed image|Tweet from the director of the 2nd largest fishing lobby in the NL after ban: “<i>Bad news from Brussels {…} it is a dramatic vote for the dutch fishing fleet which conducted extensive research on this innovative and sustainable technic”</i>]]
[[File:Pulsevisserijverbod.jpg|thumb|Thumbnailed image|Tweet from the director of the 2nd largest fishing lobby in the NL after ban: “<i>Bad news from Brussels {…} it is a dramatic vote for the dutch fishing fleet which conducted extensive research on this innovative and sustainable technic”</i>]]
If pulse electric fishing is a technic used since the 1970s, most countries (including China) came to the conclusion that its effect on marine life were destructive which led to the European ban of 1998.  
If pulse electric fishing is a technic used since the 1970s, most countries (including China) came to the conclusion that its effect on marine life were destructive which led to the European ban of 1998.  
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== The state of electric pulse fishing in 2020 ==
== The state of electric pulse fishing in 2020 ==
== <u>The ban of electric pulse fishing</u> ==
[[File:Pulse fishing vote.jpg|thumb|Thumbnailed image|EU's 2017 vote to ban electric pulse fishing]]
In January 2018, thanks to the union of multiple ecological parties and NGO’s, partly piloted by french association Bloom, the debate over electric pulse fishing was relied by various european politicians. At the wake of the 2018 vote for its complete ban, VisNed, the largest dutch fishing lobby started to hand over documents singing the praise of the technic to the deputies of the European parliament inside of Brussel’s parliament.   
In January 2018, thanks to the union of multiple ecological parties and NGO’s, partly piloted by french association Bloom, the debate over electric pulse fishing was relied by various european politicians. At the wake of the 2018 vote for its complete ban, VisNed, the largest dutch fishing lobby started to hand over documents singing the praise of the technic to the deputies of the European parliament inside of Brussel’s parliament.   
   
   
On January 16th, the European Parliament voted 402 to 232 for the total and final ban of electric fishing in Europe, to come into application on 2021.  
On January 16th, the European Parliament voted 402 to 232 for the <u>total and final ban of electric fishing in Europe</u>, to come into application on July 2021.  


After a rollercoaster of news (from the creation of dutch task force to lobby in the EU parliament against the application of the ban, multiple arrestations of dutch electric vessels full of illegally fished sole, destabilization campaigns against multiple NOG’s by dutch newspapers and the call from dutch prime minister Mark Rutte fro France and Germany to rally the Netherlands in its scientific research), the transition period prior to the complete ban started in August 2019.  
After a rollercoaster of news (from the creation of dutch task force to lobby in the EU parliament against the application of the ban, multiple arrestations of dutch electric vessels full of illegally fished sole, destabilization campaigns against multiple NOG’s by dutch newspapers and the call from dutch prime minister Mark Rutte fro France and Germany to rally the Netherlands in its scientific research), the transition period prior to the complete ban started in August 2019.  
== <u>Since the ban</u> ==


Since summer 2019 the Netherlands has continued to break European law. Among its former fleet of 84 electric pulse fishing boats, still 42 of them are active today. While the latest regulation allows them to keep a maximum of 14 boats to pursue research (5% of its fleet) until the end of the transition period, the Netherlands seems determined to pursue its electric exploitation of the Northern sea.
Since summer 2019 the Netherlands has continued to break European law. Among its former fleet of 84 electric pulse fishing boats, still 42 of them are active today. While the latest regulation allows them to keep a maximum of 14 boats to pursue research (5% of its fleet) until the end of the transition period, the Netherlands seems determined to pursue its electric exploitation of the Northern sea.
In October 2019, dutch agriculture minister Carola Schouten has notified the Dutch  government she would seizing the Court of Justice of the European Union to file against the ban on electric fishing and would be extending all 42 permits until July 2021.


== Dutch scientists admit ==
== Dutch scientists admit ==