The men say their catch has been halved as they deal with a legal injunction won by Norwegian energy giant Equinor - a firm which turned over more than £76 billion last year.

The fishermen first learned of the legal action when they arrived at their boats in the early hours of June 12 to find court notices zip-tied to their hulls.

Five days later, the High Court issued an injunction which ordered them to clear the area within seven days to allow the wind farm firm to survey the seabed where cables will be laid.

Then men have worked the waters for generations (Image: Antony Kelly)

The men arrived at their boats to find legal orders zip-tied to their hulls (Image: Supplied)

The initial injunction , which stops the fisherman operating in a two square mile area of sea, was set to expire on July 1, but a further hearing in London on that day saw the order extended to August 2.

The fishermen - many of whom have worked these waters for generations - are now grappling with tens of thousands of pounds in reduced catch and legal fees.

John Davies, chairman of the North Norfolk Fishermen's Society, warned the extended order risks turning the fleet against each other as boats are forced to compete with one another in the reduced fishing grounds.

John Davies (middle right) has warned of friction as fishermen compete in a smaller patch of sea (Image: Archant)

He said........

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