2023-12-28 15:14:39
The administrative court of New Caledonia ruled in favor, Thursday, December 28, of an association which called for a ban on shark slaughter campaigns. These were relaunched at the beginning of 2023 in Nouméa, in order to protect swimmers after two attacks, one of which was fatal.
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Justice thus annulled the decision taken by the mayor of Nouméa, Sonia Lagarde (Renaissance), “to continue preventive campaigns to regulate tiger sharks and [requins-]bulldogs near the beaches located on the territory of the municipality »according to the judgment made public Thursday.
The administrative court found that the decision to carry out systematic shark culling campaigns “was disproportionate with regard to the aim of protecting human life pursued, especially since no precise scientific study was carried out to know the state of the populations of the targeted species, nor the effects on the environment of such Specimens “.
“Limited” and “proportionate” exemptions
The Southern province of New Caledonia was also targeted by an appeal from the Caledonian association Ensemble pour la Planet (EPLP). The administrative judge also banned the killing of sharks, this time in maritime reserves.
The community, competent in environmental matters, had authorized the town hall of Nouméa to conduct these fishing campaigns in the marine reserves close to the coast. Gold, “the principle of a reserve is the prohibition of all fishing”we can read in the judgment consulted by Agence France-Presse.
If the administrative court recognizes the existence of exemptions, these must be “limited” et “proportionate”which for the court was not the case.
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