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Furious fishermen block Frances largest port in row over EU rules to eliminate trawling
French fishermen protesting against a European Union project to restrict bottom fishing symbolically blocked the main French fishing port, Boulogne-sur-Mer, on Sunday evening, the prefecture and the regional fisheries committee said. Seven fishing boats enacted a blockade at the entrance to the port, the prefecture said.
The blockade is expected to last until Tuesday, the committee said.
Olivier Leprêtre, president of the Hauts-de-France regional fisheries committee told AFP the EU Commission's plan "would be the death of the port of Boulogne".
He pointed out that with such a measure only 20 percent of the waters of the Pas-de-Calais Strait would remain accessible to fishing.
Boulogne, with a turnover of €85million (£74.6million) in 2022, represents 5,000 direct and indirect jobs, and more than 80 percent of its production is provided by dredges, trawls, seines and other bottom gears, according to Mr Leprêtre.
"This plan is counterproductive, it risks destroying European fishing and favouring imports from areas where fishing is not regulated," he added.
Last week, angry fishermen had already demonstrated in Lorient on Friday and in Rennes on Wednesday to protest against European regulations, administrative pressure and the high price of diesel.
Källa: Daily Express