Negotiations on fishing licenses have stalled for weeks between Paris and London.

Exasperated, French fishermen have launched operations to block ports, such as in Saint-Malo, and must block freight access to the Channel tunnel, on the French side, to demand the settlement of post-Brexit fishing disputes with the Kingdom -United.

This is the first time since the blockade of the island of Jersey last May that French fishermen have organized a “big day of action”.

Dozens of boats must block the entry of ferries coming from Great Britain in three ports of the French Channel: Saint-Malo la Bretonne, Ouistreham la Normande then Calais the guardian of the North.

In Saint-Malo, the blockage began, as explained by Pascal Leclerc, president of the Ille-et-Vilaine fisheries committee, aboard the Franck Annie: “We took the option of blocking the port of Saint-Malo. both at the exit and at the entrance.

The goal is to normally delay a ferry for an hour on delivery of everything it had on board.

Another boat arrives from Jersey with fishery products, it is also going to be blocked.

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"The English deal is not respected"

“When Europe and the government do not carry out threats, after a while you are forced to take control again because otherwise you have the impression that you will not achieve anything. We are not going to war, we want our rights to be respected, a deal has been made, the English deal is not being respected, ”he adds. In the afternoon, it is aboard their vans that the fishermen have planned to block, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., the access of goods trucks to the freight terminal of the Channel Tunnel.

“We don't want handouts, we just want our licenses back.

The UK must abide by the post-Brexit deal.

Too many fishermen are still in the dark, ”Gérard Romiti, president of the national fisheries committee, said on Thursday at a press conference.

Symbolic at the entrance to ports - where the swell may not allow all the planned actions - the initiative is more threatening near the tunnel, through which 25% of trade between the United Kingdom and the Europe.

" The tree that hides the forest "

London received the message and reacted on Thursday evening, saying it was "disappointed" by these "threats of protest" and urging France to "ensure that illegal acts are not committed and that trade is not affected. ". The aim is to block 'exports to England, to reach the British population and raise awareness of what is going on. They have access to the European market and we still do not have access to their waters, ”explained Olivier Leprêtre, president of the Hauts-de-France fisheries committee.

It is a "punch action to show what we are capable of but if we have to go further, we will target other products", he added, specifying that the slogan was " to allow passengers to pass and to block the freight ”.

For the president of the national committee, "this issue of licenses is the tree that hides the forest: its resolution will depend on long-term relations with the United Kingdom".

While questioning the robustness of the European commitment alongside EU fishermen, Gérard Romiti welcomed the "ultimatum" launched Wednesday by the European Commission, which asked London to settle this dispute by December 10 .

Over 960 licenses already obtained

Under the Brexit agreement signed at the end of 2020 between London and Brussels, European fishermen can continue to work in British waters provided they can prove that they were fishing there before. But the French and the British argue over the nature and extent of the supporting documents to be provided. In total, since January 1, 2021, France has obtained "more than 960 licenses" for fishing in British waters and the Channel Islands, but Paris is still asking for more than 150 authorizations, according to the French Ministry of the Sea.

In this burning issue, the tone has risen several times.

Last May, a French flotilla headed for Jersey for a blockade of a few hours, leading to the dispatch of British patrol boats.

In the fall, Paris threatened London with "retaliatory measures", before giving it up temporarily to give the negotiations in Brussels a chance.

French fishermen today feel comforted by the renewed support last Sunday from President Emmanuel Macron and his Minister of the Sea Annick Girardin, who assured that they would fight to the end to defend their interests.

Economy

Post-Brexit fishing: Fishermen will block ports and the Channel tunnel

Politics

Post-Brexit fishing: Annick Girardin and Emmanuel Macron promise French fishermen to continue the fight

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