EU Parliament votes to ban ‘electric pulse fishing’

By Hajer M'tiri

PARIS

European lawmakers on Tuesday voted to ban fishing using an electric current in EU waters.

MEPs voted 402 to 232 with 40 abstentions for the ban, according to a statement issued by the European Parliament.

The European Commission had approved the technique, which involves devices attached to fishing nets to send electrical pulses designed to shock fish out from the sea bed and into the nets, as "environmentally friendly" arguing it won't harm sensitive species.

The practice is illegal in much of the world, but the EU authorities had allowed certain boats to conduct it on an experimental basis.

Earlier this month, 249 French lawmakers signed an article in Le Monde newspaper calling on the European Parliament to ban the practice, saying "it shames Europe and damages our credibility on the international stage."

Several campaign groups welcomed the vote.

“Today’s vote by the EU Parliament to stop the aggressive expansion of electric pulse fishing is a huge win for European seas, low impact fishers and the public," program director of marine conservation group Our Fish, Rebecca Hubbard, said.

The final shape of the new law on how, where and when fish can be caught -- updating and combining more than 30 regulations -- will be determined during the negotiations between the European parliament, the EU Council and the EU Commission.