Thursday 25 November 2021
Quarrel with the British
French fishermen plan to besiege the English Channel
The French fishermen seem to want to send a clearer message in the dispute with the British over fishing rights. You want to disable trade routes across the English Channel for a short time. For British retailers, this could mean more bottlenecks in the Christmas business.
In the fishing dispute between Great Britain and France, French fishermen want to close the passage routes across the English Channel on Friday. The bulkheads were planned, among other things, in the Canal Tunnel in Calais. The Hunting Association confirmed that it was a time-limited, symbolic and non-violent protest. In addition to Calais, the ports of Saint Malo and Oysterham were also affected. These measures come as a response to the British blockade of granting fishing licenses to French fishermen.
Despite months of negotiations, London and Channel Island Jersey refused to issue legitimate licenses. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in London that the situation was being monitored “closely” and that “contingency plans” were within reach. However, France must ensure that “there are no illegal actions and that trade is not affected.”
The Canal Strait between Calais and Dover is the main trade route for the United Kingdom. Much of the goods from the continent reach the island either by ferries or the Eurotunnel. Thus, the closure of these traffic routes could seriously damage the British economy. In the ports of Calais, Saint Malo and Oysterham, fishermen want to interrupt ferry traffic with their boats for 1-2 hours. In Calais, truck access to the Canal Tunnel via the motorway will also be blocked for two hours.
According to French fishermen, 237 licenses are still pending
According to the calculations of the French Fisheries Association, the British side has not yet issued 237 licenses. The Hunters provided all the required information and waived countermeasures to return to the negotiating table. It now appears that the results are not in keeping with her patience and goodwill.
The EU Commission aims to find a solution to the conflict by 10 December. This was announced by the responsible EU commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevicius, on Twitter on Wednesday. “We are intensifying talks for a final solution by December 10, 2021,” Sinkevicius said after a conversation with British Environment Minister George Eustis.
The dispute between Paris and London revolves around fishing licenses for French fishermen off the Channel Islands in Jersey and Guernsey, under the British Crown. The islands are much closer to the French coast than to the English coast. Since the UK left the EU, fishermen from France have had to apply for licenses. Because many requests have been rejected, France accuses Great Britain of not complying with the Brexit agreements. London rejects this.