Brexit. France and the United Kingdom, still clash over fishing licenses: English fishing boats stopped

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October 28, 2021 France and the United Kingdom are once again fighting over fishing in what has been called the "scallop war".

Tonight two British fishing boats were stopped by the French maritime gendarmerie during checks in the Seine Bay and one was diverted to the port of Le Havre. The first was only fined for "obstructing controls", while the second risks criminal sanctions, the seizure of the vessel and the confiscation of the fishery product because it does not have a valid license.  

These controls, customary "during the scallop fishing season", are also "part of the tightening of controls in the Channel, as part of the licensing discussions with the United Kingdom and the European Commission", said the French Minister for Mare Annick Girardin in a statement published on Twitter.

Ce Wednesday, 2 navires anglais ont été verbalisés lors de contrôles classiques au large du Havre.

➡️ Le premier n'a pas obtempéré spontanément: verbalisation.

➡️ Le second n'avait pas de license pour pêcher dans nos eaux: dérouté à quai et remise à autorité judiciaire.

pic.twitter.com/2YETmeITC1

- Annick Girardin (@AnnickGirardin) October 27, 2021

French Minister of the Sea, Annick Girardin, assured that the retaliatory measures against Britain "to defend the rights of French fishermen" are not a "declaration of war" but reflect the ongoing "battle" to force the British to abide by the post Brexit deal.

Giradin then disproved Britain's finding that 98 per cent of the required European fishing licenses were granted: "The British met 1,913 of the 2,127 applications, so 90 per cent. All those left out are French, aside from two Belgians ".

In the still disputed fishing areas, those between 6 and 12 miles from the British coasts and the Channel Islands, London and Jersey have granted just over 210 definitive licenses, while Paris is asking for a further 200.    

Fisheries agreements are among the most debated issues after Brexit. The entry into force of the Brexit agreement canceled the agreement signed in 2004 between Breton, Norman and English fishermen to divide up the fishing zone of the islands of the English Channel, in particular the island of Jersey. The post-Brexit agreement, concluded in extremis at the end of 2020 between London and Brussels, provides that European fishermen can continue to work in certain British waters provided they can demonstrate that they were fishing there before Britain left the EU , but the dispute revolves around the nature and extent of the justifications to be provided. 

If London aims to obtain greater freedom in the fishing sector, Paris also brings up the diplomatic question of relations between the EU and the United Kingdom.

The controversy has reignited after France announced the entry into force on

of the first

 against the Channel Islands and London

. The contrast in the summer had even given rise to the intervention of two Royal Navy gunboats, in response to the attempt - quickly dispersed - by a Norman flotilla to block access to the port of one of the Channel Islands linked to the crown in protest.

France says it is "open to discussions" if London "respects its commitments": so said the French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, following the announcements on the retaliatory measures of the French government on post-Brexit fishing licenses, considered "disappointing. and disproportionate "by the British. "We are open to discussions, morning, afternoon and evening"; Castex said, recalling, once again, that "the British must respect their commitments". The premier spoke during a visit to Lorient, in Brittany. 

Meanwhile, the Tory government of Boris Johnson has ordered an urgent verification by the maritime authorities on the exact "circumstances" of the seizure of the British fishing vessel which took place in French waters on the decision of Paris, due to the alleged lack of license on scallops fishing, and the arrest of the second boat then fined and released. 

Responding to a question from Labor Shadow Minister Luke Pollard, Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Minister George Eustice said it was "early" to say at the moment whether these are routine controls or retaliation. linked to the post-Brexit tightening on licenses complained by French fishermen in British Channel waters and warned France to tone down. In short, the stop of these hours has been interpreted in London as a sort of transversal message by the government of Paris.

Asked about the measures announced by France, French Secretary of State for European Affairs Clement Beaune said, interviewed by CNews Morning: "The British government of Boris Johnson only understands" the language of force. "" I have the impression that they have understood that we must return to the discussion table. But if they don't, we will continue ", he added, specifying that he is not at all happy with this situation:" He is not very intelligent but if a partner only understands the language of force, you have to use it. "

So, he added, "for British ships that want to unload their fish, their fishery products in our ports, it will be over, with a few exceptions. All our French ports will no longer be accessible to British ships".

And again: “We will carry out systematic, customs, veterinary and safety checks at sea for British ships.

We will have no tolerance ", he concluded, explaining that" systematic checks will also be carried out on trucks arriving or departing for the United Kingdom ".