This week, Greenpeace France took a stand and, in a valiant act of environmental activism, took matters into their own hands. At sunrise on Wednesday, May 21, activists aboard the Arctic Sunrise ship dropped 15 very large limestone boulders into the Mediterranean Sea, targeting a protected area off the coast of Occitania known as the Gulf of Lion Marine Park.
Carefully placed in a grid pattern on the ocean floor, each rock weighs between one and two tons. That is equivalent to a fully grown male White Rhino! The goal was to physically block bottom trawlers—large fishing vessels that drag heavy nets across the ocean floor, a practice that has devastating impacts on marine ecosystems.
This action is the latest effort in an ongoing campaign highlighting the French government’s inaction on marine conservation. Greenpeace is calling for a ban on bottom trawling in marine protected areas (MPAs) before France co-hosts the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3) in Nice in June.
The Gulf of Lion is a vital and diverse ecology in the Mediterranean, renowned for its rich biodiversity. There are magnificent habitats like Posidonia meadows, Coralligenous reefs, which support vulnerable marine life including gorgonians, sea cicadas and bluefin tuna.
Although officially designated as a marine protected area, the region remains vulnerable to industrial fishing, which François Chartier, Oceans Campaigner at Greenpeace France, says undermines the very meaning of protection. “For several years now, France’s refusal to regulate destructive activities in its marine protected areas has been unanimously denounced by NGOs and numerous scientists,’ said François Chartier, Oceans Campaigner at Greenpeace France ‘The government still holds to an archaic vision of marine conservation and fishing. Agnès Pannier-Runacher refuses to comply with international standards on levels of protection in MPAs, preferring instead an unfounded “case-by-case” approach. The Minister must heed our request, which is also that of all ocean protection associations: she must ban bottom trawling in marine protected areas.”
This isn’t Greenpeace’s first move on the issue. In December 2024, the group exposed the presence of trawlers on the Bancs des Flandres, another protected zone. In April, it collaborated with CNRS to publish a report recommending a more meaningful and science-driven layout for MPAs across French waters. Now, by installing physical barriers in the form of boulders, Greenpeace is escalating its campaign to force the government’s hand.
Activists aboard the Arctic Sunrise displayed banners that read “The government doesn’t act, we do” and “Marine area protection in progress.” It served as a direct affirmation of France’s stated dedication to ocean protection.
A critical opportunity to protect our oceans
With the UNOC-3 just weeks away, France has a critical opportunity to protect our big blue planet. While President Emmanuel Macron has made bold international pledges—opposing deep-sea mining and supporting the High Seas Treaty—it’s time for those global ambitions to be ratified. To truly lead on ocean conservation, France must start by securing the health of its own marine environments.
Greenpeace Australia Pacific is also calling on newly elected Environment Minister Murray Watt to ratify the Global Oceans Treaty within the first 100 days of office. Furthermore, Greenpeace Australia Pacific would like Minister Watt to propose a world-first high seas marine protected area in the Tasman Sea. This aims to protect marine life, including blue sharks, from the harmful impacts of industrial fishing.If you would like to learn more about Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s involvement, you can do so here.
A Rock-Solid Stand for the Ocean: Greenpeace France Blocks Bottom Trawling
Climate Change
‘This is a fossil fuel crisis’, Greenpeace tells Senate gas tax Inquiry, citing homegrown renewables as path to energy security
CANBERRA, Tuesday 21 April 2026 — Greenpeace Australia Pacific has slammed gas corporation war profiteering and environmental damage in a scathing Senate hearing today as part of the Select Committee on the Taxation of Gas Resources, urging fair taxation of gas corporations and the transition to secure, homegrown renewable energy to protect Australian households and the economy from future energy shocks.
Speaking at the hearing, Greenpeace said the US and Israel’s illegal war on Iran has laid bare the fundamental flaws of an energy system built on fossil fuel extraction, geopolitical power plays and corporate greed, and will be a defining moment for how the world thinks about energy security.
Greenpeace’s submission and full opening remarks can be found here.
Joe Rafalowicz, Head of Climate and Energy at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said:
“This is not an energy crisis, it’s a fossil fuel crisis. The crisis we’re all facing lays bare the dangers of fossil fuel dependence, for our energy security, our communities, and for global peace and stability.
“Gas corporations like Woodside, Santos, Shell and Chevron — the same companies whose CEOs refused to front this Inquiry — are making obscene war profits, using the illegal war on Iran to price gouge, profiteer and push for more gas we don’t need — while people and our environment pay the price.
“Australians are getting smashed by soaring bills and the impacts of climate disasters — gas corporations should be paying their fair share to help this country, instead of sending billions offshore, tax-free.
“But we’re at a turning point — while gas corporations cynically push to open up more of our oceans and land to drilling for fossil fuels, our allies like the UK are doubling down on renewables in response to the fossil fuel crisis. Our trading partners in Asia are making the same reassessment of fossil fuels.
“Which is why the hearing today is crucial: an effective and well-designed tax on the gas industry’s obscene war time profits is a chance to channel funds to people and communities, fast-track the rollout of clean, secure homegrown wind and solar energy, while holding polluters accountable.
“Our dependence on fossil fuels leave us overexposed to the whims of tyrants like Trump — it’s in Australia’s national interest to end the fossil fuel chokehold for good and usher in the era of clean energy security.”
-ENDS-
Media contact
Kate O’Callaghan on 0406 231 892 or kate.ocallaghan@greenpeace.org
HOW WOODSIDE’S BROWSE GAS PROPOSAL THREATENS SCOTT REEF’S GREEN TURTLES AND PYGMY BLUE WHALES
Woodside’s Browse to NWS gas project is under assessment by the WA and Federal Governments right now. This is a project that involved drilling up to 50 gas wells around Scott Reef off the coast of WA. Gas would be extracted directly underneath Scott Reef and Sandy Islet and pumped through a 900-kilometre subsea pipeline to the NWS gas processing facility.
Woodside’s Browse gas project’s impact on Scott Reef’s marine habitats?
Scott Reef is one of Australia’s most ecologically significant marine environments, where green turtles breed, pygmy blue whales feed, and an array of at-risk species, including sharks, dolphins, whale sharks, rays, sawfish and sea snakes thrive. It is home to many threatened species, including some found nowhere else on Earth or in genetically isolated groups, magnifying its importance from a conservation perspective.
This delicate reef’s ecosystem faces multiple threats if Woodside’s Proposed Project goes ahead, including seismic blasting, gas flaring, noise pollution, artificial lighting, pipe laying and fast-moving vessels. The reef also faces the risk of a gas well blowout, which could have catastrophic and irreversible consequences for the region’s reefs and marine parks.
Woodside’s woeful marine impacts management plan
To secure their approvals, Woodside had to develop a plan for how they would manage the significant risks to threatened green turtles and endangered pygmy blue whales if the project proceeds. We’ve had two independent scientists provide a technical assessment of Woodsides management plan for whales and turtles and their findings are gobsmacking.
Their assessment found that Woodsides management plans for these species misrepresents or does not assess the risks the Browse project poses to Scott Reef’s pygmy blue whales and green turtles. They’ve also surmised that if the project goes ahead the impacts contradict the Australian government’s own recovery plan for turtles and Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for Blue Whales.
The State and Federal Governments now have the opportunity to define their legacies on nature protection and save Scott Reef from Woodside’s dirty gas.
Technical Assessment of Woodside’s Browse Pygmy Blue Whale Management Plan
Prepared for Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Dr Ben Fitzpatrick of Oceanwise Australia with Dr Olaf Meynecke of Griffith University.
The full technical assessment is available HERE
Scott Reef is a vital feeding, foraging and resting habitat for pygmy blue whales.
Pygmy blue whales feed, forage and rest in the Scott Reef region every year. Scott Reef is recognised as a Biologically Important Area for the pygmy blue whale and is an important stop-over on their annual migration.
Woodside’s Browse gas project could delay or prevent the population recovery of the endangered pygmy blue whales that rely on Scott Reef, heightening their extinction risk.
- Woodside’s management plan claims of “no credible threat of significant impacts” are not supported by scientific evidence.
- The management plan relies on outdated whale population information.
- Woodside has claimed it is unclear whether Scott Reef is a foraging habitat for pygmy blue whales, despite the presence of pygmy blue whales and significant concentrations of krill being documented in the area.
- The PBWMP ignores the impacts of industrial noise on whale-to-whale communication. This is especially concerning as mother-calf pairs migrate through the Scott Reef Biologically Important Area shortly after calves are born. Mother-calf pairs rely on continuous, uninterrupted communications to maintain their connection.
Woodside’s Browse gas project could delay or prevent the population recovery of the endangered pygmy blue whales that rely on Scott Reef, heightening their extinction risk.
Technical Assessment of Woodside’s Browse Turtle Management Plan
Prepared for Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Dr Ben Fitzpatrick of Oceanwise Australia.
The full technical assessment is available HERE
Scott Reef is a vital nesting ground for unique green turtles.
The green turtles that nest at Scott Reef’s low-lying Sandy Islet sand cay and nearby Browse Island are genetically unique and are classified as ‘Extremely Vulnerable’ in Australia’s Recovery Plan for Marine Turtles.
Woodside’s Browse gas project could make Scott Reef’s unique green turtles extinct.
- The Browse project would operate within 20 kilometres of nesting habitat that’s critical to the survival of Scott Reef’s genetically unique and vulnerable green turtle population.
- Woodside’s Browse Turtle Management Plan (TMP) misrepresents the risks the Browse project poses to Scott Reef’s green turtles.
- Claims in Woodside’s TMP about Scott Reef’s green turtle population size, nesting success and hatchling numbers are not backed by scientific evidence.
- The TMP proposes gathering updated data after the Browse project is approved.
- Woodside’s TMP proposes adding sand sourced elsewhere to Sandy Islet to counter subsidence and erosion, but fails to properly assess the associated risks.
To save Scott Reef and protect our oceans and animals, the State and Federal Governments must reject Browse.
Technical Assessment of Woodside’s Browse Pygmy Blue Whale Management Plan
To secure their approvals, Woodside had to develop a plan for how they would manage the significant risks to threatened green turtles if the project proceeds. We’ve had two independent scientists provide a technical assessment of Woodside’s management plan for whales and turtles and their findings are gobsmacking.
Woodside’s Browse gas project could make Scott Reef’s unique green turtles extinct.
Woodside’s Browse gas project could delay or prevent the population recovery of the endangered pygmy blue whales that rely on Scott Reef, heightening their extinction risk.
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