Solène Leroux 5:42 p.m., November 6, 2021, modified at 5:42 p.m., November 6, 2021

The post-Brexit fisheries crisis between the UK and France is not resolved.

Negotiations are still continuing next week, despite the ultimatum launched by the French.

Jean-Marc Puissesseau, Chairman and CEO of the Boulogne-Calais port, detailed on Europe 1 what this implies.

INTERVIEW

Each day that passes represents colossal losses for French fishermen.

In the agreements signed for Brexit, "it was expected that licenses would be granted to fishing masters who had to prove that in 2016, they are fishing in British waters", explains Jean-Marc Puissesseau, Chairman and CEO of the port Boulogne-Calais, at the microphone of Thierry Dagiral on Europe 1. Two types of boats can hardly prove that they were not at sea at that time.

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A "petty" situation

First of all the gillnetters, who then did not have the necessary equipment "which is the only way to identify and prove" their location that year, but also larger boats, "which have since been sold. 2016 therefore the fishing bosses have no history ".

For Jean-Marc Puissesseau, "it is really very petty" on the part of the United Kingdom since "it represents a ridiculous turnover per year" for them "knowing that the British do not eat fish".

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Fishing in UK waters is essential for fishermen.

They find more noble fish such as red mullet and squid, which sell for around 16 euros per kilo.

This very particular one is "unloaded by ton in the port of Boulogne" according to the director of the port, a real "shortfall".

The port of Boulogne will stop free checks

Another major problem will arise if the negotiations between the two countries fail: "English ships will be banned from disembarking in the port of Boulogne." The passage through France of "40,000 tonnes from England per year by road" will also be thwarted. "They go through the veterinary and phytosanitary inspection service" If there is no agreement, "the controls will necessarily be very precise, a little slowed down", specifies Jean-Marc Puissesseau, "which will also penalize the expeditions and especially fish processing ".

These controls, before Brexit and when Great Britain was part of the common market, were framed by the Touquet agreements, signed in 2003 and applied the following year.

For the CEO of the port of Boulogne-Calais, the rest is clear.

"We have no intention of continuing to carry out these checks for the British free of charge" which concern eight million vehicles a year "to check whether there are migrants on board the trucks or not".