French fisherman have been left furious over government plans to give them £50million in compensation payments – a move which they say is surrendering to the British in the post-Brexit fishing licences row.
France’s Maritime Minister Annick Girardin said France is preparing to pay French fisherman who have been left without a licence up to £50million (60million euros) to help with their finances.
However, the French skippers have attacked the plans. They accuse the government of abandoning their boats and “lowering its pants” to Britain for the post Brexit fishing row.
France also was accused by them of accepting defeat, even though Girardin insisted that they will fight every day to obtain 150 post-Brexit fishery licences.
The defeat was not unexpected. Pascal Delacour (the boss of a Granville trawler) said to AFP that it was a disaster. France has dropped its pants and left its young sailors behind because they are above those who don’t have licenses.
‘France is lowering its pants,’ said Alain Coudray, the president of the Côtes-d’Armor fisheries committee. The English must keep a 100-meter distance from the English. Otherwise …’
This dispute centers on the issue of fishing licenses in territories six to twelve nautical miles from Britain, and in waters off Jersey (a Crown Dependency in the English Channel).
There has been a dispute between the neighbours about the amount of London licences that were given to French fishing boats following Britain’s departure from the European Union. France claims that many of the licences are not available, but London insists it respects the agreement.
French fisherman have been left furious over government plans to give them £50million in compensation payments – a move which they say is surrendering to the British in the post-Brexit fishing licences row
France indicated that 150 vessels are still in wait to be issued fishing licences by the British Fishing Commission.
Girardin said to France Inter radio that they will fight daily to obtain the rights and 150 licenses.
Girardin stated, however, that the government was preparing compensation packages to fishermen without licenses. Critics claim this is a way of admitting defeat.
‘I can tell you that we will have a package worth at least 40 million euros (£33million) to help with their finances,’ she said.
Girardin, Thursday’s critic of Jersey over its inability to cooperate with the post-Brexit licensing system for fishing licenses.
Annick Girardin from France was the French maritime minister. She told Finistere’s fishing industry in Brittany on Thursday she regrets Jersey’s “limited willingness” to work with France. Compensation packages are being made.
Annick Girardin (French Maritime Minister) stated that Jersey does not recognize the Brexit deal.
She added, “Worse, they are showing an unwillingness of cooperating with us.”
France’s Maritime Minister Annick Girardin said France is preparing to pay French fisherman who have been left without a licence up to £50million (60million euros) to help with their finances
Elle stated that the Jersey authorities had not responded to 46 requests from French fishermen for licences, and 52 additional licences were expired at October’s end, “denying these fishermen access” to Jersey waters.
She said the government was preparing a rescue plan of 40 to 60 million euros (£33-50 million) for French boat owners being forced to remain in port due to the loss of licenses.
She said, “I don’t like talking about financing boats that go out to sea as often as you do. But in full transparency, we need to organize the possibility of fleet reductions.”
It was viewed by fishermen as alarming and officials in the area, who saw it a warning sign that France wouldn’t be able to convince Jersey to follow its post-Brexit trade agreement.
‘The government is disarmed, said Olivier Leprêtre, the president of the Hauts-de-France regional fisheries committee. “The government has lowered its flag while it was promising retaliatory actions.”
France indicated that 150 vessels are still waiting to be issued fishing permits so they can fish in British waters.
“The battle isn’t over, negotiations are still ongoing… Loig Chesnais Gilard, the president of Brittany, stated that he could not accept that we make a huge move to eliminate boats.
He said, “We need diplomacy to ensure that these talks are continued.
France threatened, at the end of October with banning British vessels from unloading their catch at French ports. They also proposed to inspect all British imports.
Girardin previously suggested that electricity exports to Jersey be restricted, as Jersey is dependent on France for power.
This month, there were several rounds of negotiations between the British-French governments. They had managed to calm tensions and avoid the threat of sanctions but they did not find a lasting solution.
France considers Jersey and Britain unfairly targeting French boaters by either refusing them licenses or not responding to their requests. This undermines the agreement between Britain and EU that guaranteed EU fishermen continued access to British waters.
Jersey and Britain refute the allegations and claim the French boat rejected from France was unable prove they fished in UK waters. This is a requirement for getting a licence.
Analysts claim that relations between Britain, France and Germany are at an all-time low due to tensions surrounding Brexit and cross-Channel migration.
France believes that Britain and Jersey are unfairly targeting French vessels by either refusing to issue licences to them or failing to reply to inquiries. They undermine the agreement between Britain, the European Union and EU which ensured EU fishermen continued access in British waters.
Paris became furious at London as well after it learned that London had secretly negotiated with Australia and the US to establish an Indo-Pacific defense alliance. The Indo-Pacific Defense pact saw Canberra drop a massive submarine order from France.
France and Britain were at odds over fishing licenses, so both countries dispatched maritime vessels from Jersey. France also briefly took possession of a British fishing vessel that was in their waters in October.
After Britain split from the European Union in April, it is now that the U.K. has its licenses. French fishermen had the ability to fish within British waters prior to Brexit.
They will now need a permit from either the British Crown dependentencies Jersey or Guernsey for certain areas.
While fishing may be a small industry in terms of economics, it is symbolically significant for France as well as Britain. Both countries have long and treasured maritime traditions.
Paris claims that many boats have been refused permits to enter waters they’ve long sailed in. Britain contends that it has granted 98% of applications from EU vessels — and now the dispute concerns just a few dozen French boats with insufficient paperwork.
France threatened to ban British vessels from its ports, and to tighten controls on trucks and vessels carrying British goods, if any more French boats aren’t allowed to fish in U.K. waters. Paris also indicated that it may restrict electricity supplies to Channel Islands. These islands are highly dependent upon French electricity.
The dispute may have threatened cross-Channel relationships, but it has also had real implications for France’s unsung fishermen.
Jersey, located just 14 miles away from France’s coast, has issued 49 temporary licenses for French vessels earlier this week. This is just a fraction, however.
Northern French fishermen say that their livelihood is dependent on British waters. They fish for mackerel and whiting. Outrequin, who is depressed about the future and looks to the French president Emmanuel Macron for hope.
Macron is widely expected to run for reelection in France’s April presidential elections.