The key players
Claude Roustan:
President of the FNPF, he spoke to politicians about the expectations of recreational anglers and stressed the urgent need for action to preserve aquatic resources.
Agnès Pannier-Runacher :
Minister for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forestry, the Sea and Fisheries, she was asked to comment on water policy issues, and expressed her concern about endangered species.
Other personalities :
Daniel Labaronne: Co-chairman of the "Hunting and Fishing" study group at the French National Assembly.
Julie Ozenne: Member of Parliament and co-rapporteur of the information mission on the state of watercourses.
Olivier Thibault : Managing Director, Office Français de la Biodiversité.
Emmanuelle Verger: Managing Director, EDF Hydro.
Elodie Galko: Managing Director, Agence de l'eau Adour Garonne.
Topics covered
Water policy :
- River status: Less than half of French rivers are in good ecological condition.
- National debate: Claude Roustan called for a constructive national debate and reaffirmed the urgent need to create a ministry dedicated to water.
Migratory fish :
- Emergency for eels and salmon: Claude Roustan has called for a temporary fishing ban for eels and an ambitious national plan for salmon.
- Moratorium: the Minister spoke of a moratorium on freshwater eel fishing and a plan for professional fishermen to leave the fleet by 2026.
Catfish :
Rejection of classification as an invasive alien species: Claude Roustan reiterated the FNPF's position against the classification of the catfish as an invasive alien species (IAS).
Impact on lampreys: The Minister expressed her concern about the impact of catfish on lamprey populations and called for collective action to find concrete solutions.
Cormorant:
Downgrading the species: Claude Roustan raised the question of downgrading the Great Cormorant to protected status, given the favorable trend in its populations.
Conclusions and outlook
Role of recreational fishing : The congress confirmed the decisive role of recreational fishing in preserving aquatic environments, with 1.5 million anglers acting as sentinels in the field.
Political commitment : The event highlighted the importance of political commitment to support efforts to conserve and sustainably manage aquatic resources.
The FNPF annual congress was a crucial platform for discussing current and future challenges linked to water policy and recreational fishing. Discussions highlighted the urgent need for collective, concerted action to preserve aquatic ecosystems and ensure a sustainable future for fishing and biodiversity.
