Call for ban on trawling for sea bass

[Mr T.]

Call for ban on trawling for sea bass
By Charles Clover, Environment Editor
(Filed: 23/07/2004)


Britain yesterday asked the European Commission to impose an emergency ban on trawling for sea bass in the English Channel because hundreds of dolphins are being killed each year.

Ben Bradshaw, the fisheries minister, said tests of devices to allow dolphins to escape had been unsuccessful last winter and 169 dolphins had died.

A detailed case for the closure of the pair-trawl fishery will be put to Europe before November. This is necessary because the majority of the vessels in the Channel are French.

Mr Bradshaw said research would continue into other forms of fishing that might be kiling dolphins. The latest evidence suggests that some other fisheries, possibly for tuna, could be implicated.

Sarah Duthie, oceans campaigner for Greenpeace, welcomed the move. "The Government has taken the first step and it's now time for other countries to follow this example," she said.