/ 
The FNPF is strengthening its presence at the European level
It was in Cork, Ireland, during the European Anglers Alliance?s annual general meeting, that the FNPF officially joined the European organization. Founded in 1994 and based in Brussels, the EAA now includes 13 countries, including France, Germany, England, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland.
This membership should enable the French Federation to work alongside other national organizations in order to to promote and advocate for recreational fishing before European authorities .
For the FNPF, the stakes are high: in particular, the goal is to better represent the 1.5 million French fishermen and to have their concerns heard in decisions that may affect their practices and aquatic environments.
Migratory fish, cormorants, climate, and regulations
Several major issues have already been identified. The FNPF specifically cites the conservation of migratory fish, predation by great cormorants, the effects of global warming on waterways, and changes in fisheries regulations.
To this end, the European Anglers Alliance maintains a permanent presence in Brussels and lobbies the The European Parliament and the European Commission . Its areas of focus include advocating for the Water Framework Directive, the Nature Restoration Act, the transition to lead-free alternatives in fishing, and the sustainable management of fish stocks, particularly eels.
A Collective Voice for Recreational Anglers
According to Claude Roustan, president of the FNPF, this partnership should enable European national fishing organizations to collectively advocate for the interests of recreational anglers. The Federation also intends to contribute the expertise and experience of its French network to the EAA.
With this membership, the FNPF is thus strengthening its ability to influence issues on which decisions are increasingly made at the European level. Fisheries regulations, water quality, biodiversity, climate change, and the future of certain species: these are all issues on which French fishermen now intend to have a greater say in Brussels.
