8 Dec 2020

Enviromentalist gets jail term in New Caledonia for attack on suspected poacher

3:53 pm on 8 December 2020

A well-known environmentalist in New Caledonia has been given a suspended eight-month jail sentence for attacking and threatening a suspected beche de mer poacher.

beche-de-mer

Beche de mer is a French name for sea cucumber. Photo: Flickr/ John Turnbull

The case was prompted by last year's release of a video showing Florent Eurisouke hitting a kneeling man and threatening to decapitate him.

The recording was reportedly made two years ago off Cape Bocage near Houailou.

Eurisouke said at the time he lodged a complaint with police over the poaching.

Senior politicians as well as the Human Rights League had condemned the assault.

Eurisouke featured in a documentary which won a top prize at the New Zealand International Film Festival in 2014.

Beche de mer is a French name for sea cucumber.