Fishermen in Kent have branded a controversial new documentary about the trade “hurtful”, accusing film-makers of generalising the industry.

The 90-minute Netflix film Seaspiracy, directed by former Canterbury College student Ali Tabrizi, 27, sets out to expose the damage being done to fish populations in the world’s oceans.

It explores sustainable fishing and the issue of discarded nets killing wildlife. The documentary has received acclaim from environmentalists and celebrities across the world, but others - especially those working in the industry - have been critical, saying it presents a distorted picture.

Whitstable skipper Richard Foad, 28, owns a small 30ft vessel called The Simon Issac.

He said he initially switched off Seaspiracy in disgust, before sitting down for a second time to watch the entire documentary.

He branded it “hurtful” for repeatedly generalising the whole industry.

Mr Foad, who has worked in the industry for eight years, says large factory ships and pulse beamers from abroad are to blame for overfishing and damaging seas and oceans.

“We physically can’t overfish as we get patrolled, checked and have to document everything we have caught on the boat,” he said.

“If it doesn’t match with what you’ve said you caught, you get into trouble.

“There are so many things in place, it would be nearly impossible to do it.”

He says he would never dump a fishing net at sea - another issue explored in the documentary.

“You can lose a little mesh by accident as you might come across a wreck or big boulder which might rip apart your net,” he added.

“We have big skips in Whitstable harbour where if you’ve ripped a net, you go and put it in there as soon as you get back in - you wouldn’t chuck it over, it’s ridiculous.”

Chairman of the Ramsgate Fishermen’s Association, John Nichols, also hit out at the film’s claims.

“All fishermen around the world lose a percentage of net and that is unavoidable,” he said.

“But in this country we lose very little because we are very conscious of the way we fish.

“This country is probably one of the most highly regulated in the world.”

Many have vowed never to eat fish again after seeing the documentary, but Mr Nichols urged people to reconsider.

“Anything that is on a fishmonger’s slab in a retail outlet and is British is sustainable because we fish to quotas,” he added.

“All I would stress to the British public is to buy British fish. Don’t buy from other parts of the world because you don’t need to.”

Another issue raised in the documentary was animals, such as dolphins, being caught in nets by mistake.

However, Mr Nichols said fishermen’s gear such as nets in this country are so fine, they would break free.

Responding to concerns raised of overfishing, Mr Nichols added: “Fishermen are farmers of the sea, we are not pillagers.

“If we were to take every living thing then there would be nothing left for us to farm.”

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