Martinique imposes fishing ban

Authorities in Martinique have banned fishing in all rivers and some coastal areas after finding high levels of a controversial pesticide.



A government statement says that health officials found more than double the accepted amount of kepone, also known as clordecone, in almost all the samples taken at 40 locations across the island.



Concerns over clordecone were raised two years ago when a French medical researcher suggested it may have affected cancer rates in Martinique and Guadeloupe.



Guadeloupe has already imposed a five-year ban on fishing in some rivers and coastal areas after recording high levels of chlordecone.



The pesticide was used on banana plantations until it was banned in 1993.