Fishermen blockaded three Dutch ports including Rotterdam, the world's biggest, on Thursday to protest an EU ban on cod fishing to protect stocks, police said.
"The entrance to the port of Rotterdam is totally blocked by around 40 vessels," said Ed Krazewski, a senior police officer at the port.
The port of Amsterdam and the northern port of Delfzijl were also blockaded About 100 ships were in action in the three ports.
A six-month ban on cod fishing was imposed by the EU on January 24 after member states -- faced with the potential collapse of North Sea cod stocks -- called for emergency and long-term protection measures.
EU officials say only 70,000 tonnes of adult cod remain in the North Sea compared with 250,000 tonnes in the 1970s. Cod has historically been the most sought-after fish among Europeans.
Rotterdam port officials have warned the fishermen to lift the blockade there by 6:00 pm (1700 GMT) or face legal action.
The city's mayor and firms operating out of the port have began a legal move for compensation if the fishermen do not end the blockade by then, said port spokesman Minco Van Heezen.
The fishermen have also also been seeking compensation for loss of earnings after the European Union last month made nearly a third of the North Sea off limits for cod fishing to halt the dramatic fall in fish stocks.
But the Dutch agriculture and fisheries ministry rejected their demands Thursday.
"The ban imposed by the European Union, which we opposed to no avail, does not provide for financial compensation," said ministry spokesman Gerard Westerhof.
And there were no negotiations at present with the fishermen, he added.
Krazewski said fishing boats were preventing access to the ports from the North Sea. Ships docked in the harbours had been ordered to remain there until the blockades were lifted.
Dutch authorities were in contact with the fishermen to try to end the stand-off. But there were no immediate plans for police intervention, said Krazewski -- ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AFP)
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