Fishermen block port of Calais in protest over pulse fishing

On January 25, 2018, French fishermen blockaded the Port of Calais, halting all shipping movements at the busy passenger port and major transit point for British goods. The protest was organized to target losses attributed to electric pulse fishing, specifically the electrified nets used by Dutch competitors. P&O Ferries announced the closure, noting that no ships could move. A spokeswoman for the company called on French authorities to clear the blockade immediately so the port could reopen, noting that two of its ferries were waiting in Dover while another two were trapped in Calais. The shipping firm DFDS reported similar disruptions, with two ferries on standby in Dover and one blocked in Calais.

The blockade followed a January 16 vote by the European Parliament in favor of banning commercial pulse fishing. The practice has sparked significant division within European institutions. While the European Union commissioner for fisheries has argued that electric currents are safer for the environment than methods that plough the seabed, French fishermen contend the practice depletes fish stocks. The French conservation group Bloom has also campaigned against the method, which has prompted a boycott by 200 European chefs.

In addition to the immediate dispute over electric nets, protesting fishermen expressed anxieties about their long-term livelihoods, citing fears that Britain’s exit from the European Union will end their access to British waters.