Paris (AFP)
Are we heading towards a new naval battle in the English Channel?
Two days before the expiration of the provisional licenses in Anglo-Norman waters, Paris raises the tone, pressed by French fishermen ready to lay siege to Jersey.
"We will not accept new conditions. All our requests are justified, we want final authorizations," it was indicated Monday to the French Ministry of the Sea.
France, which is still awaiting responses to 169 requests for final authorizations in Jersey, 168 in Guernsey and 87 in the 6 to 12 mile zone off the British coast, warns that its "response will be proportional to the British offer" .
In a gesture of appeasement, the autonomous government of Jersey, an island located between France and Great Britain, announced on Friday that it would grant authorizations to European Union vessels within the week and renew provisional licenses for those who are struggling to collect the required supporting documents.
- "It's going to end badly" -
Like his colleague from Normandy, he is ready to flex his muscles, "since this is all the English understand".
"In this game, it's going to end badly", he fears, tired at the idea "of going to the siege of Jersey every four-five months".
French fishermen plead for immediate retaliatory measures: prohibiting English boats from disembarking, reducing economic or academic cooperation with the Channel Islands.
Paris says it is "studying" the subject, with Brussels as the arbiter.
An explosive subject throughout the negotiations on the conditions for the United Kingdom's exit from the EU, the access of European fishermen to British waters remains a subject of tension despite the post-Brexit agreement between London and Brussels, in force since January 1.
French fishing boats demonstrate against the conditions imposed on French sailors after Brexit, in front of the port of Saint-Hélier, capital of the Channel Island of Jersey, May 6, 2021 Sameer Al-DOUMY AFP / Archives
At the beginning of May, dozens of Norman and Breton fishing boats had gathered in the port of Saint-Hélier in Jersey to defend their right to continue fishing in these waters, causing London to send two patrol boats for a few hours.
This feverish blow had resulted in the extension of the deadlines without changing the fundamentals: European fleets will have to give up 25% of their catches in British waters at the end of a transition period running until June 2026.
Until then, the post-Brexit agreement foresees the obligation for European fishermen to obtain new licenses from London.
These are conditional on proof of prior fishing practice in British waters.
The emergency concerns the Channel Islands with the imminent expiration of dozens of provisional licenses.
On Thursday, the French Minister of the Sea, Annick Girardin, brandished the threat of retaliation at European level if London procrastinates.
The situation is particularly delicate for Jersey, which has set deadlines, while Guernsey renews the provisional licenses from month to month, one explains on the French side.
- Towards a new deadline?
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"We spent months collecting all the supporting documents, especially for small boats that do not have a satellite tracking system, we gave everything," said Jean-Luc Hall, president of the National Fisheries Committee.
French fishing boats demonstrate against the conditions imposed on French sailors after Brexit, in front of the port of Saint-Hélier, capital of the Channel Island of Jersey, May 6, 2021 Sameer Al-DOUMY AFP / Archives
On the side of the French ministry, we also underline the efforts already made, with total requests for Jersey increased from "344 ships in January to 216 today", of which only 47 have been definitively validated.
To the government of Jersey, which promises a new deadline of January 31, 2022, French fishermen retort from a block: "that's enough".
"It is the anguish for the fishermen who do not know if they can repair their boat, if they will be able to pay their credits", explains Mr. Hall.
A weariness shared by fishermen from Jersey, who want to protect their flotilla of small boats against the giants which spawn in the Channel, but fear "very difficult years" if they lose their European outlets for their lobsters and scallops.
© 2021 AFP