Fishing to be further controlled by police in south-west France

A fishing federation in south-west France has signed an agreement with the gendarmerie to better police fishing in the area, and crack down on people who try to fish without the appropriate permits.

Jean-Michel Ravailhe, president of the Fédération de pêche de la Dordogne, and Colonel Jean-Philippe Demange, head of the gendarmerie de Dordogne, signed the agreement on Thursday, November 7.

‘Many and varied offences’

Mr Ravailhe believes that the Périgord area is not monitored enough, he told France Bleu, with “many and varied” offences happening regularly.

“Fishing is less well known to the gendarmes than vehicle checks,” he said. 

“Essentially, there are people who fish without a fishing licence, even though it has been compulsory for decades, people who fish in prohibited areas, in fishing reserves set up to protect certain categories of fish, people who fish for species that are temporarily closed to ensure their reproduction, people who fish at night where it is prohibited…” he said.

Read also: A guide to fishing in France 

Extra checks and guidance

The gendarmerie is now set to step up extra checks, especially from next spring when fishing for trout begins. The federation will also distribute a helpful guide to all department gendarmes. 

“It's a guide that will enable them to be effective on their own or to contact the Féderation de pêche for more precise details,” said Colonel Demange. “It will make it possible to investigate offences more quickly, because the Fishing Code is very specific.

“You need knowledge, and by relying on those who know, you can be more effective. Just as the gendarmerie has a thorough understanding of burglary, domestic violence and road safety offences,” he said. “But gendarmes are less familiar with fishing.”

However, the implementation of the enhanced verifications performed by the police is expected to be complex, as it is estimated that over 20,000 individuals fish in the area.