Guernsey loses court battle with UK Government on fishing rights
GUERNSEY has lost its legal battle with the UK Government over fishing.
The States of Guernsey went to the High Court, saying a Westminster decision to indefinitely suspend the fish management agreement, excluding its fishermen from EU waters, was irrational.
But a top judge said today that that there was a 'modicum of rhetoric' in Guernsey's complaints – most of the fishing fleet was not impacted by the UK's decision.
And it was the 'intransigence of Guernsey's position' that was at least in part responsible for the 'impasse', ruled Mr Justice Jay.
Rejecting Guernsey's rationality challenge, he said Defra had considered 'a range of possible options' before the suspension was imposed.
The judge said the immediate flashpoint was alleged over-fishing of skates and rays by a single Guernsey vessel. EU quotas on those species of fish had been slashed and UK fishermen felt they were being 'unfairly penalised for the uncontrolled actions of a small number of Guernsey vessels'.
