'Bream bodyguard'

A FAST fishery protection boat has been brought into action off the West Sussex coast this week to catch large trawlers which have been persistently and illegally catching black bream, threatening them with extinction.

By The Newsroom

Published 21st Apr 2009, 15:13 BST

Updated 8th Jun 2018, 04:32 BST

The move has been instigated by the Sussex Sea Fisheries committee, which says the new patrol is vital to give special protection to the fish which swim up to 100 miles from France each year to breed at a six square mile reef area off Littlehampton during April and May.

In previous years the committee says big trawlers have got away with huge hauls of the fish, earning 5,000 for each unlawful catch.

The new protection boat is now on standby to pounce on the boats and make sure those responsible will be prosecuted.

Sea anglers and commercial fishermen in the Chichester and Bognor area, who fish within the law, catching permitted smaller quantities will benefit from the move.

For full story see West Sussex Gazette April 22