Fish decline: trawler fleets the main culprits

THE decline of salmon and other species of surface fish such as herring, mackerel and cod has taken place mainly in the past 30 years.

This happens to coincide with the time EU fishing fleets were permitted for the first time to enter UK and Irish waters. Hundreds of trawlers are involved in surface fishing.

Experts say there is an unexplained mortality of salmon at sea. Is it possible this is due to the number of salmon netted by fishing vessels operating on the high seas and in EU waters?