Fishermen at the Suffolk port of Lowestoft fear they could go out of business if a ban on fishing for cod in the North Sea is approved.

The UK fishing industry is currently waiting to see if a ban is introduced after EU scientists said such a move could be the only way of conserving fish stocks.

One of the fishermen, David Richards, said fishing conditions were already very poor.

He said a permanent ban "could be quite bad for us" and did not rule out the end of cod fishing in the region.

More than 100 trawlers used to dot the coastline at Lowestoft, a major cod fishing area.

But now, just 30 small boats remain of the cod fishing fleet.

Cod numbers in the North Sea have fallen steadily since record-keeping began in 1963.

And the International Council for Exploration of the Sea is expected to release a report this week warning that North Sea cod stocks are so depleted, they are in danger of collapsing.

A final decision on whether the EU will institute a ban is expected to be made in December.