Greenpeace Battles Against French Tuna Fishermen
Greenpeace activists battled against French fishermen the other day, attempting to free bluefin tuna that were trapped in a fishing net. In the process, one Greenpeace activist was apparently wounded by one of the fishermen’s hooks. Here are a few videos of the clash:
France’s national fisheries body backed the fishermen Saturday, saying they “were attacked by helmeted Greenpeace activists, equipped for and engaged in a violent operation — the destruction of a work tool.”
“After trying to get the species classified as endangered, based on an erroneous reading of the scientific facts regarding the stock of bluefin tuna, now (Greenpeace) assumes the right to attack fishermen out at sea,” it added.
Sathoan’s Wendling said fishermen need protection from Greenpeace.
“We have requested the French state intervene and ensure the security of our sailors,” he said.
Jean-Marie Avallone, owner of the boat involved, accused Greenpeace of acting like “brigands.”
As Greenpeace posted a video of the incident on the Internet, Wendling said Saturday that fishermen feared further action by environmentalist groups competing for publicity and donations.
Greenpeace’s aggressive move had stolen a bit of the spotlight from Sea Shepherd, a radical animal rights group founded by people who thought that Greenpeace’s activism was not violent enough. Sea Shepherd’s main ship arrived in Malta on Saturday, and they will soon be launching an operation nicknamed “Blue Rage.”
Most of the bluefin tuna caught by French fishermen will be exported to Japan. An American-backed proposal to ban international trade in bluefin tuna was soundly defeated in March, after Japan, Canada, and 66 other countries voted against it (European countries with tuna fishing fleets abstained from the vote).
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