Denmark accuses UK of breaking Brexit fishing deal over trawling ban | The Guardian |

Denmark has accused the UK of breaching the post-Brexit fisheries deal over plans to ban destructive bottom trawling in a North Sea conservation zone.

The UK announced in February that it wanted to ban bottom trawling at the Dogger Bank conservation zone in the North Sea, a move hailed by environmentalists hopeful of seeing a resurgence of halibut, sharks and skate in the once marine life rich sandbank.

In an interview with the Guardian, Denmark's fisheries minister, Rasmus Prehn, said such plans were not in line with the post-Brexit deal.

"The Brexit agreement ensures full access [for EU vessels] to fish in UK waters until 2026. And therefore, of course, it is a very big problem for us if the British government is going to change that. We find that unacceptable and it's a breach of our agreement."

Dogger Bank, a large shallow sandbank about 90 miles north-east of the Humber estuary, has been fished by Danish boats for centuries and is among the country's most important fishing grounds, according to the Danish government.

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