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"La pêche de loisir, populaire et naturelle": that's the title of the first 16-page brochure, with the cover featuring a photo, from behind, of a little girl and her grandfather, both holding a fishing rod. "Some people would like to erase ancestral practices in the name of idealized representations of living things," denounces Claude Roustan, President of the French National Fishing Federation. "Recreational fishing is caught in a paradox: it works for nature, it brings generations and social backgrounds together, and yet it is sometimes called into question".
Key figures
The brochure is well done, with beautiful photos and simple words that simply explain the link between our hobby and nature, the role of anglers in protecting the environment, the economic weight, the strength of a network and its volunteers...
Key figures include: 3,500 AAPPMAs, 40,000 volunteers, 1,000 employees, over 2 billion euros in economic spin-offs, over 70,000 schoolchildren made aware of the aquatic ecosystem, 833 fishing lodgings, 4,000 wardens, 3,000 thermal probes, 1.5 million anglers, 35% of whom are under 25...
Answers
In a chapter entitled "Understanding the animal question and defending Man's place in Nature", the FNPF provides several responses to anti-speciesist attacks. On live-fishing, for example, it explains to elected representatives that it "respects the instincts of fish and the philosophy of the activity; to ban it would be tantamount to wiping out a legitimate practice that is among the most popular". On the subject of stocking, which is also under attack, the FNPF points out that these practices, which are "neither automatic nor systematic", are "governed by rigorous management plans" and make it possible "to ensure access to fishing".
As for the use of barbs, which compromise fish survival, "scientific studies show that the impact is minimal, with a difference in survival of less than 1%".
These elements of presentation and language will enable us to better defend our leisure activity. In conclusion, the FNPF points out that "fishing is a legal and firmly regulated activity", that it is "part of an educational and responsible approach", and that the federations carry out "numerous scientific, environmental and social missions".
For mayors
A second brochure, aimed at France's mayors, has been sent out to 36,000 communes, and focuses more on the assets that fishing represents for our region. It goes into more detail, for a more informed public, and highlights the economic and tourist assets, environmental education, knowledge sharing for all development work...
In addition to this bureaucratic work, the FNPF encourages departmental federations to get involved in local life and meet with elected representatives. Lobbying in the field remains the most important. Both brochures are available on the FNPF website .
