Animals

At least 15.000 exotic animals died in a fire of the Savannah Reptiles Planet warehouse in Saint-Sulpice-la-Pointe in the southwestern part of France. The animals were intended for the exotic pet market.

Sand boas, boa constrictors, royal pythons, panther chameleons, green iguanas, Hermann’s tortoises, Asian leaf turtles, leopard tortoises, African spurred tortoises, poison dart frogs are listed under CITES Appendix II (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Appendix II regulates international trade.

The International Court of Justice ordered Japan to stop its whaling program JARPA II and therefore cease all whaling activities in the Antarctic. Since 1987, Japan has killed over 10,000 whales in the Southern Seas.

In its decision delivered this morning, at The Hague, the Court declared that the “scientific whaling” program in Antarctica, as it has been designed and implemented by Japan, entails a disproportionate number of whales hunted and killed. According to the Court, Japan did not provide adequate explications to justify the lethal take of whales particularly minke whales. The Court pointed out that the number of whales killed under the framework of “Japanese scientific whaling” is offset by financial reasons. The product from treating whales – which is to say the commercialization of whale meat – finances the whaling campaign carried out by the factory ship the Nisshin Maru and support vessels.

The European Fisheries Commission in Brussels recently authorized the extension of electric pulse beam trawling in the North Sea. It justifies this decision citing the ability of Member States to conduct pilot projects. 87 Dutch trawlers can now practice electric fishing, compared to 42 in 2012.

This new madness contradicts the 1998 fishing regulation, which, based in particular on the need to protect juveniles, prohibits the use of explosives, poison, soporific substances, or electric currents.

Sole is the main target species for this “new” fishing technique, which has actually been in practice for more than a century. The European pilot project has been running since 2006, but no progress reports have been submitted. Fish that have been caught in the trawl nets show burns, bruises, and skeletal deformations as a result of electrocution.

The European Fisheries Commission in Brussels recently authorized the extension of electric pulse beam trawling in the North Sea. It justifies this decision citing the ability of Member States to conduct pilot projects. 87 Dutch trawlers can now practice electric fishing, compared to 42 in 2012.

This new madness contradicts the 1998 fishing regulation, which, based in particular on the need to protect juveniles, prohibits the use of explosives, poison, soporific substances, or electric currents.

Sole is the main target species for this “new” fishing technique, which has actually been in practice for more than a century. The European pilot project has been running since 2006, but no progress reports have been submitted. Fish that have been caught in the trawl nets show burns, bruises, and skeletal deformations as a result of electrocution.

Only in French.

Only in French.

Diaporama

“On the Trail” n°3
Whales and marine mammals, pages 4 and 5

Robin des Bois is pleased to present to you the third edition of “On the Trail”, a quarterly information and analyses bulletin on animal poaching and smuggling (pdf 80 p. 4.5 Mo).

“On the Trail” n°3 (pdf 80 p. 4.5 Mo)

Seahorses, sea cucumbers, queen conches and sharks, pages 3 and 4

Robin des Bois is pleased to present to you the third edition of “On the Trail”, a quarterly information and analyses bulletin on animal poaching and smuggling  with a special item on the scheduled French illegal ivory crushing tomorrow.

“On the Trail” n°3

Quarterly information and analyses bulletin on animal poaching and smuggling (pdf 80 p. 4.5 Mo) with a special item on the scheduled French illegal ivory crushing tomorrow.

Rhinoceroses and elephants, pages 48 to 69