Moored along the Quai d'Orient in Sète, pleasure boats are regularly hit by fishing weights coming from the quay opposite.
Two on the port side, one on the roof, one on the deck, one on the teak in the cockpit and one which passed very close to the sailor's head on the deck. Here, in just one week, is the number of fishing sinkers that have landed on one of the pleasure boats moored along the Quai d'Orient in Sète. Leads weighing on average 80 grams….
A smashed car window!
Recently one of them even smashed the window of a car parked on Quai de la République… This shows that the situation is particularly complicated in this corner of the port of Sète. “This happens particularly when sea bream fishing when the fishermen from the Quai de la République cast too hard, when they fish at night without seeing where their sinker falls or when their line breaks, slips one of the boaters, preferring to remain anonymous to avoid possible reprisals. This causes paint chips on boats. And fortunately there were no broken windows. All of this has a cost.”
Someone will take a pellet in the head
But the most important thing for these boaters is to sound the alarm. “We have to be aware that one day or another someone will take a pellet in the head. With the speed, it will inevitably do a lot of damage. And we don't want to be among those who don't alert us. We let's do this in the interest of all. We are not against fishermen, far from it, but some really don't respect anything.”
Threaten with an iron bar
Warned by these boaters, Fabien Luais, the director of the marina, responded that an agent was being considered to raise fishermen's awareness. Requested by Free Middayhe concedes “look for a solution. But it's very difficult to move forward with some fishermen.” And to say that not long ago, a fisherman threatened a boater with an iron bar on the Quai de la République. The latter was in the process of lowering his bowsprit for repairs, and was encroaching on the man's dock space with his rods….
