More seabirds have been killed by fishing gear in the past 10 years in European Union waters than by oil disasters since the Torrey Canyon in 1967, conservationists said yesterday.

At least two million birds are estimated by the RSPB and BirdLife International to have been killed by baited hooks and fishing nets in the decade since the European Commission first promised action to halt the “slaughter”. The conservation groups accused the Commission of dragging its feet over bringing in an action plan.

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