France, EU Investigates on 'Shocking' Incident of Massive Swarm of Dead Fish in the Atlantic Ocean

The European Union and France launched inquiries on the cause of a massive swarm of dead fish in the Atlantic Ocean off France reported by an environmental group.

Sea Shepherd, a non-profit marine conservation activism group, released images and videos on Twitter showing an estimated 100,000 dead blue whiting fish floating on the sea floating off the Bay of Biscay, off the coast of southwest France.

"Four factory boats operate in that area, including the Margiris -- the second-largest trawler in the world (banned in Australia)," Sea Sheperd tweeted on Thursday.

The images shocked French Maritime Minister Annick Girardin, who ordered National Center for Fishing Surveillance to investigate the massive fish kill on Friday, per ABC News.

Virginijus Sinkeviius, the European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans, and Fisheries, launched an investigation into national authorities of the fishing region and presumed flag state of the vessel to get thorough information and evidence related to the case.

The Pelagic Freezer-Trawler Association, which represents the massive trawler Margiris, said in a statement that the fish were "involuntarily released into the sea" on Thursday because of a tear in the trawler's net.

Is It an Accident or Intentional Fish Dumping?

The association said that the incident is an "accident" and a "rare occurrence," and in the case was caused by the unexpectedly large size of the fish caught." It further explained that the trawler has modified procedures in managing the "exceptional size" of the fish present in the area.

However, Sea Shepherd contested if it was an accident or an intentional dump of unwanted fish by the vessel. The group also urged authorities to conduct more patrolling of the seas to protect the oceans and sea life, especially from massive industrial trawlers.

Environment organization, Greenpeace, has dubbed the Dutch-owned Margiris as a "mammoth super-trawler."

France has the largest coastline among European countries. It is the world's second-largest maritime power and the only country with a presence on all of the world's oceans.

The incident happened a few days before the start of the One Ocean Summit organized by French President Emmanuel Macron, per France 24.

The Massive Impact of Trawling on The Oceans

Thousands of fishing boats drag massive weighted nets across the seafloor every day, entwining everything in their path and wrecking marine habitats. Such practice is called bottom trawling.

According to a report by CNN, around a quarter of the world's yearly catch is from this method described by scientists as "bulldozing" of the ocean floor. The practice can be traced back to the 14th century, but trawlers can now extend their nets up to the deep portions of the sea due to technological innovations.

Every year, around 19 million tons of fish and invertebrates get caught in the nets of thousands of bottom trawlers worldwide. Studies also indicate that bottom trawling accounts for nearly 60% of fisheries discards, with unwanted catch thrown back into the ocean.

For the past 70 years, bottom trawling has caused the wastage of around 437 million tons of fish, resulting in an estimated loss of revenue amounting to $560 billion.

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France, Eu, European Union, Ocean, Environment, Massive