Wilfried Devillers 08:45, March 30, 2023, modified at 08:45, March 30, 2023

The fishermen organize this Thursday and Friday an operation "dead port". Faced with new fishing bans, fuel prices and the construction of wind farms, professionals in the sector wish to warn about the difficulties of their situation.

The symbol is strong. The fishermen shout their anger this Thursday, organizing an operation 'dead port'. For 48 hours, no fish will be caught. Objective: to denounce future restrictions in marine protected areas, but also wind farms or the increase in fuel prices.

And in Boulogne-sur-Mer, in the Loubet basin, artery of the Boulogne-based fishing, there is almost no soul that lives. The strike has been organized since Sunday and is due to end on Friday.

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Nearly 600 strikers

In the city of Pas-de-Calais, boats are docked, no departure at sea takes place. The 600 strikers in the region denounce the action plan presented a month ago by the European Commission, including the end of bottom fishing in marine protected areas by 2030. This method consists of scraping the seabed with the nets.

The European Commission wants above all to protect the environment, but for fishermen, it is one ban too many. "They will kill the sector," says one of the professionals at the microphone of Europe 1. "We condemn entire segments of fishing, jobs and vocations, since from now on, these are finally two trades that will be called into question, or even disappear" with future bans, alarmed the mayor of the city, Frédéric Cuvillier.

A sector that weighs heavily in local employment

"It is all the more inappropriate and inappropriate as the fishermen themselves have shown a lot of responsibility by participating in the evolution of fishing," continues the mayor of Boulogne-sur-Mer.

Today, nearly 80% of the port's production is provided by dredges and trawls. In the region, fishing represents 5,000 jobs, all sectors combined.