Overview

• The Nantes administrative court found that inhalation of hydrogen sulfide from decaying green algae caused Jean-René Auffray’s death and assigned the state 60% liability.
• Judges cited the government’s failures to enforce EU and national regulations on agricultural nitrates as the primary driver of harmful algae blooms in the Gouessant estuary.
• The court ordered compensation of €277,343 to Auffray’s widow, €15,000 to each of his three children and €9,000 to his brother.
• This ruling is the first time a French administrative court has directly linked state negligence on pollution controls to a human fatality in a green algae case.
• Environmental groups and the victim’s family say the verdict could compel authorities to implement stronger measures against chronic algae outbreaks in Brittany.