Due to the dissolution of the French National Assembly by the President of the Republic, the annual congress of the Fédération nationale de la pêche en France (FNPF) was held in a modified format. Despite this unstable political context, the FNPF, through its President Claude Roustan, wished to draw attention to the major expectations of the leisure fishing world.
Water, the forgotten issue of the next legislature?
In March 2023, Emmanuel Macron launched the Water Plan in the wake of the droughts of 2022. One year on, we are forced to note that this scheme, as necessary as it is ambitious, has ground to a halt. Yet the situation is serious: the social stakes surrounding water resources and aquatic environments have never been higher. The agricultural crisis at the beginning of this year has highlighted the challenges facing water in France, and prompted us to take an in-depth look at water management.
Let's get wet for water!
In his speech, Mr. Roustan made a solemn appeal to ensure that water is not forgotten in the next parliamentary term, stressing the need to protect rivers and their biodiversity from harmful environmental compromises. The slogan: "Let's get wet for water! Put an end to the many setbacks to the environment. A slogan with which the French can identify. Over 90% of those polled by the FNPF express their attachment to watercourses (91%) and their desire to preserve them (97%). Yet, in the face of this collective aspiration, the reality is alarming: half of all rivers are now in poor condition. One in five fish species is endangered, while migratory fish are facing a dramatic decline, bordering on extinction. The Atlantic salmon, emblem of our rivers, is also going through a critical period.
Despite this urgency, the environment, water resources and biodiversity are still too often perceived as red tape and a source of expense, according to the FNPF.
