After French fishermen ended their blockade of the Jersey Island Channel, the British government announced that it would withdraw its naval fleet. The Prime Minister’s Office said: “With the situation now settled, the Royal Navy patrol vessels will prepare to return to their UK port.” Boris Johnson Thursday evening with. We are ready to assist with any other inquiries from Jersey.
The government stressed that the Jersey authorities had the right to regulate fishing in its waters. On Twitter Johnson thanked the Royal Navy for its prompt response: “I am delighted that the situation in Jersey has been resolved.” Jersey Prime Minister John Law Founder mentioned constructive discussions with representatives of the Hunters.
Dozens of French fishing boats have closed the port of the island’s capital, Saint Helier, since early morning. The background to this dispute over fishing licenses in the English Channel, which has surfaced again due to Brexit. Great Britain The warplanes, “HMS Severn” and “HMS Tamar”, were sent to Jersey to “monitor the situation”. It was a “purely preventive measure,” as stated in the Ministry of Defense London explained. Prime Minister Johnson had criticized the French blockade of the Channel Island as “totally unjustified.”
The situation eased on Thursday
France Then he sent two naval patrol ships to the area. French European Minister Clement Bonn said his country was “not subjected to intimidation.”
During Thursday, the situation calmed down: 50 or so French fishing vessels left the maritime zone off Jersey and returned to France. “The show of strength is over,” said Dmitry Rogov, president of the Normandy Fisheries Association. “Now it is the turn of politics.”
Fishing rights have been one of the sticking points in the trade agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom, which has been in effect since May 1. The British should allow fishing boats only in their areas that have been active there since 2012. French fishermen complain that proving this is not easy. From 2026 onwards, European fishermen will give up a quarter of what they catch in British waters, which equates to a loss of revenue of around € 650 million annually.
The island of Jersey lies about 30 kilometers off the coast of Normandy, and its waters are particularly rich in fish. Jersey and the other Channel Islands are not part of the United Kingdom but have an independent administration. But they belong to the property of the British Crown.
