Stephane Pinto News

French fishermen blockaded Calais throughout Thursday, halting shipping movements at France's busiest passenger port and a major entry point to Europe for British goods, in protest at losses inflicted by the practice of electric pulse fishing. A flotilla of fishing vessels set out at dawn from nearby Boulogne, the biggest fishing port, and blocked the narrow shipping channel into Calais, said fisherman Stephane Pinto. A spokeswoman for the port said the fishermen's protest ended at about 1600 GMT though it would take several hours to clear a backlog of traffic.

French fishermen blockaded Calais on Thursday, halting shipping movements at France's busiest passenger port and a major entry point to Europe for British goods, in protest at losses inflicted by the practice of electric pulse fishing. A small flotilla of fishing vessels set out at dawn from Boulogne and others were expected to join from Dunkirk, said fisherman Stephane Pinto. "The Port of Calais is closed due to French fisherman blockade. Currently no ship movements in the port," P&O Ferries Freight said on Twitter. A Calais port spokeswoman said negotiations were underway and that port authorities expected the blockade would be lifted by midday.