Five European Union supertrawlers are fishing in British waters despite the coronavirus lockdown threatening a UK industry already struggling to cope with the collapse in the seafood market.
Three huge ships from Holland and two from France were tracked fishing off the coast of Scotland where they are netting tonnes of fish.
Greenpeace, which monitors the movements of these vast so-called fishing factories, said the vessels set off after Britain imposed its lockdown.
The arrival of the five boats, all over 260ft, represents a marked increase in such ships operating in UK waters compared to a year ago, a Greenpeace spokesman said.
Telegraph Media Group Limited 2020