Whale sightings off the Yorkshire coast spark calls for super trawler ban

Conservationists say they would like to see a ban on super trawlers in British waters after a rise in whale and dolphin sightings off the coast of Yorkshire.

Robin Petch, of Sea Watch Foundation Yorkshire, said the vessels carry mile-long nets and can cause "immense" damage to eco-systems.

He said: "Some parts of the world, Australia for example, have banned these vessels from their waters and we hope that in the coming years the same thing will happen in our waters."

Owners of the super trawler Margiris, which has been fishing in the North Sea in recent weeks, said the vessel was operating "entirely under legal conditions".