UK fishermen fear losing homes as export ban hits

British fishermen who sell shellfish have called on the government to take urgent action to lift a European Union ban on their exports to the 27-member bloc. Since Britain left the EU on January 1, seafood including oysters, scallops, clams, cockles and mussels caught in "Class B" waters - which means the shellfish must be purified before consumption - can't be sold to the EU.The European Commission said the ban was for health reasons and applied to all third countries.One fisherman told British broadcaster Sky News the situation is so bad they're at risk of losing their homes.

"If I'd never put money in the bank and my wife wasn't working, I think we'd be out of a house," said Tim Heard, a 65-year-old oyster fisherman who has been catching oysters for 50 years.

He is part of a group of fishermen known as the Oystermen of the Fal, who have been fishing in the same southwestern English waters for generations.They sell their catch to companies such as Sailors Creek Shellfish, which has seen a 99% drop in business, according to Sky News.Martin Laity, who owns the firm, said he is looking for direct answers from the government.

"Get a move on, sort it out, get some stamina, get over to Europe, sort it out," he said.

The European Commission said that if the shellfish caught in "Class B" waters was purified, exports would be permitted, as is the case for produce caught in "Class A" waters, which are deemed to be cleaner.

The fishing industry claims the purification process involved is not viable.

The U.K.'s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said that there was no scientific justification behind the ban and that it's looking for an "urgent solution."