News

A 110-strong fleet of small boats has moved into position today (14 April) to blockade the Channel port of Boulogne in a protest against fishing quotas.
 

New Cross-Channel ferry operator, LD Lines, cancelled its afternoon sailing to Britain in expectation of disruption and Kent Police have begun queuing lorries on the M20 after implementing Operation Stack.

Nearby ports including Calais and Dunkirk were also threatened by the fishermens' blockade, with more ferry companies expected to cancel services.

Earlier, protesters had barricaded the road entrances to a Boulogne seafood processing plant with pallets to prevent trucks bringing in foreign-caught fish.

Patrick Haezebruck, a spokesman for France's powerful CGT union, which has helped to co-ordinate recent mass protests against the government of President Nicolas Sarkozy, said that the latest "tough" and open-ended action was being taken in association with other members of a labour coalition representing the fishermen.

"We're taking tough action, for as long as it takes, because small-scale fishing is dying while fish stocks are flourishing," said Mr Haezebruck.