Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

UK withdraws patrol boats from Jersey after French Brexit row

Published 06/05/2021, 08:33
Updated 06/05/2021, 20:16
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The village of Gorey Harbour and Mont Orgueil castle are seen in Jersey in this March 1, 2008 file photo./Toby Melville

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The village of Gorey Harbour and Mont Orgueil castle are seen in Jersey in this March 1, 2008 file photo./Toby Melville

By Christian Lowe

PARIS (Reuters) -Britain withdrew its Royal Navy vessels from the waters off Jersey on Thursday but said it would remain on standby to support the Channel island after a dispute with France over post-Brexit fishing rights escalated rapidly.

France and Britain both deployed maritime patrol vessels to the area after a flotilla of French trawlers sailed in protest to Jersey's main harbour and a French minister suggested earlier in the week that Paris might cut electricity to the island.

French fishermen say they are being unfairly deprived of access to rich fishing grounds off the coast of Jersey, a self-governing British Crown Dependency.

Jersey says it is following the rules for issuing licenses set out in Britain's post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union. Britain said it backed Jersey. The EU called for calm.

After the French fishing boats left the area, Britain said its Royal Navy Offshore Patrol Vessels would prepare to return to port in the UK as the "situation is resolved for now".

"We are pleased that French fishing boats have now left the vicinity of Jersey," a government spokeswoman said. "We remain on standby to provide any further assistance Jersey requests."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who led the 2016 Brexit campaign, had cast the trade deal as a way to take back control of the United Kingdom's destiny after Brexit.

On Thursday, he had said the two vessels would remain off Jersey as a precautionary measure, according to his office.

An official from the French presidency said the deployment from both France and Britain was aimed at preventing clashes between trawlers on opposing sides of the row.

FRENCH FLOTILLA

France is angry that on April 30 Jersey issued 41 licenses with what the Paris government called unilaterally imposed conditions, including the time French fishing vessels could spend in Jersey's waters.

Hugo Lehuby, spokesman for the Normandy Regional Fisheries Committee, said talks between island officials and representatives of the fishermen were not positive.

"We're getting deeper into deadlock," Lehuby told Reuters. "Either this gets resolved, or retaliatory measures are taken."

Jersey officials have said the accord stipulates licenses take into account how much time a vessel spent in Jersey's waters before Brexit. Britain's Brexit negotiator David Frost said under the terms of the trade deal, Jersey can regulate fishing in its waters.

The European Commission said however that until further justifications had been provided by Britain, Jersey officials should not be attaching new conditions to licenses.

"Full compliance with the TCA (Brexit trade deal) is essential in this process," Commission spokeswoman Vivian Loonela told a news briefing.

The fleet of about 50 fishing boats left the shores of Jersey, which lies 14 miles off northern France and 85 miles from Britain's southern coast, in the early afternoon. They had arrived at dawn, with some crew holding red flares aloft.

© Reuters. HMS Tamar patrols the area near Falmouth, Britain May 4, 2021. Picture taken May 4, 2021. BFBS Forces News/Handout via REUTERS

At least one French trawler entered the harbour and briefly blocked the Commodore Goodwill, a cargo vessel and ferry that connects the Channel Islands to the British mainland.

The French presidency official said the deployment of patrol vessels spoke of France's concern and frustration.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.