No to the culling of 80,000 great cormorants!
In order to “preserve” fish farming, the Minister for Ecological Transition is preparing to seal the fate of tens of thousands of great cormorants. Although the species is protected in France, 79,698 of them may be killed between 2025 and 2028. The aim of this measure is to protect the aquaculture industry, while the government supports the establishment of massive fish farms where tens of thousands of fish are crammed together. Make your voice heard in the public consultation on the draft decree, and say no to these ever-increasing exemptions: you only have until tomorrow to do so.
Iconic birds… harassed by gunfire
Great cormorants are instantly recognisable. With their black plumage tinged with white, they live peacefully near estuaries, lakes and waterways, building their nests on steep cliff faces or in trees near the coast. In France, these majestic birds are protected. They are bearing the brunt of pollution and warming waters. It is therefore strictly forbidden to disturb them… except with special permission.
A few months after facilitating the granting of these shooting permits, the Ministry, which is supposed to defend nature and its inhabitants, is preparing to define the official number of permits to kill cormorants for the next three years. The figures speak for themselves: 79,698 in France, with quotas of several thousand in some regions. The arguments put forward are, as always, absolute proof that the lives of animals have no value for the authorities who give in without resistance to pressure from the aquaculture lobby.
Accusing birds… to protect farming
To justify these upcoming massacres, the ministry accuses great cormorants of threatening wild fish… even though the National Council for Nature Conservation has debunked the myth of great cormorants as “fish exterminators” in its report!
The sole objective of this measure is to protect the aquaculture industry, while the number of farms where tens of thousands of individuals are crammed together is increasing, as in the case of the Aquafrais expansion project off the coast of Cannes which we recently investigated.
While we have been denouncing the relentless persecution of these large birds for years, the government remains stubborn. Join us in saying no to this draft decree, and make your voice heard for these targeted birds! Even if consultations carry little weight in the face of farming lobbies, the more opinions we gather to oppose the official texts, the more weight we will have in court when we counterattack!