Brexit: Irish fishing fleet stages protest over EU-UK trade deal

Fishing crews protested on a flotilla of trawlers which travelled up the River Liffey in convoy

People working in the Irish fishing industry are protesting at Dublin Port over the impact of the Brexit deal.

A flotilla of trawlers gathered at the entrance to the port on Wednesday morning and is proceeding up river in single file.

The Irish fleet is one of the major losers from the fisheries part of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the post-Brexit deal between the EU and UK.

EU countries agreed to return some of the fish they take from UK waters.

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Figures produced by the authorities in Dublin show they will lose 15% of their quota, worth about €43m (£38m).

The quota is being reduced over a five-year transition period to 2026 but the biggest cuts will happen in the first few years.

The protest began before dawn on Wednesday

The biggest reduction for the Republic's fleet is in mackerel - it will have handed back almost €27m (£24m) worth by 2026, almost a quarter of its traditional share.

The other big reduction is in its quota for prawns in what is known as Area 7, which includes the Irish Sea.

It will lose €8m (£7m) worth of them by 2026 - 14% of its current catch.