Six ships 'fished in protected Sussex marine zone'

Six trawlers measuring at least 100 metres long fished in the Offshore Overfalls marine protected zone off the Sussex coast in 2019, new analysis of tracking data by Greenpeace shows.

The Offshore Overfalls was made a marine conservation zone four years ago because it is home to endangered undulate rays.

But huge trawlers are still legally allowed to fish in the area, something which Greenpeace says must change.

“I’m horrified to discover that the protected areas off the South East coast are being exploited by industrial fishing giants, and that this is happening legally,” spokesman Jamie Smith said.

Greenpeace Brighton spokesman Jamie Smith called for a ban on supertrawlers fishing in protected zones

“For the UK government to be taken seriously as a leader in marine protection, it must ban supertrawler operations in the UK’s marine conservation zones.

“Current negotiations with the EU on fishing rights provide the perfect chance to do this.”

Lithuanian supertrawler the Margiris spent 69 hours fishing in the Offshore Overfalls last year, the data claims.

The ship is the world’s second-largest fishing boat. It was banned from Australia’s waters in 2013.

Dutch vessel Willem van der Zwaan fished in the protected zone for 28 hours last year according to Greenpeace.

Lithuanian sipertrawler the Margiris spent 69 hours fishing in a protected marine zone off the Sussex coast last year, data analysis by Greenpeace shows. Photo: Saf Suleyman/Greenpeace

The Afrika and the Zeeland from the Netherlands, the Mekhanik Sergey Agapov from Russia, and the British Frank Bonefaas also fished in the zone last year, the campaign group claimed.

Trawlers also spent 14 hours fishing in the Offshore Brighton marine conservation zone last year, tracking data revealed. The area is a thriving habitat for hermit crabs and starfish.

Only one of the UK’s 50 marine conservation zones contains a no-fishing area.

But a spokesman for the Government Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs said it plans to take stronger measures once the UK leaves the European Union.

“The UK is a global leader in the fight to protect our seas with our ‘Blue Belt’ of protected waters nearly twice the size of England,” he said.

“The Common Fisheries Policy currently restricts our ability to implement tougher protection, but leaving the EU and taking back control of our waters as an independent coastal state means we can introduce stronger measures.”