Ship traffic at the port of Calais, France’s busiest passenger port, was significantly disrupted throughout Thursday by a group of French fishermen’s protest at losses inflicted by the practice of electric pulse fishing.
Namely, the fishermen blockaded the port with a fleet of boats from nearby Boulogne, the biggest fishing port, blocking the narrow shipping channel into Calais, according to fisherman Stephane Pinto as quoted by Reuters. The protest lasted from dawn to early afternoon, but the clearance of backlog of traffic needed much more hours.
The protest was over losses caused by some countries’ practice of electric pulse fishing, a practice that produces a limited electric field above the seabed to catch fish, and is responsible for depleting fish numbers in demarcated zones. “We feel abandoned,” a fisherman was quoted as saying.
In an official statement, P&O Ferries chief executive Janette Belle described the situation as “utterly unacceptable”, to a port that supports thousands of businesses and tourists every day.
#POCalais <> #PODover : The Port of Calais is still closed due to the French Fisherman Blockade. No ships movements in the Port. Next update : in 30 minutes.
— P&O Ferries Freight (@POFerriesFR8) January 25, 2018
On 16 January, the European Parliament voted in favor of banning commercial pulse fishing. The vote was advisory, but it will be debated in the Commission which could lead to legislation. Opponents claim it is a practice equivalent to putting a taser gun in the water.
