Troubled waters for island’s fishermen as France looks to block boats landing catches

The move followed the UK leaving the EU on Friday, which put an end to the London Fisheries Convention that allowed French fishermen to access waters between six and 12 nautical miles around the Bailiwick.

French boats now have to obtain permission from Guernsey and have it authorised in France to allow them to fish here. The fishermen have described it as a ban. Bailiwick fishermen had already been warned that they would be in danger if they did try to land catches in France.

A tweet from Armement Cherbourg, which operates three trawlers off Cherbourg, announced the move by Normandy fishermen at the weekend. ‘Normandy fishermen have decided to completely block landings and sales of fish from Guernsey,’ it said.

‘This measure remains in force all the time that we do not have the authorisations promised by the States of Guernsey,’ added Armement Cherbourg.

Guernsey’s move received short shrift from National Assembly member for the Manche region and member of the French parliament’s foreign affairs committee Sonia Krimi: ‘I strongly condemn this hasty and disrespectful decision’ she said in a statement.

She said the permit scheme was ‘too vague’.

‘This political decision involves an inconsiderate risk for our sector.’

Councillor Marc Lefevre, president of Le Manche departmental council, tweeted: ‘I would like the fastest possible issuance of licences for Norman boats, making it possible to maintain the landings of Guernsey fishermen in Normandy ports in return.’

The story was reported as far afield as the New York Times, which in its piece on the row reported that the French ministry had said fishing in Guernsey waters accounted for a small part of fisheries activities in the area.

It was reported that, in 2018, 140 boats went fishing in Guernsey waters, with only 30 of them active in late January and early February.

n Sea Fisheries is holding a meeting with local fishermen at Beau Sejour tonight, starting at 6pm.