UK heads for fishing fight with French as Guernsey announces its plans

WHILE the UK looks to be on course for another battle with French fishermen over access rights to its waters, Guernsey has yet to finalise its arrangements.

French Fishing boats blockade Jersey harbour in May over the island's new fishing licensing regulations. There is fresh anger over the news that the UK has approved only one third of the applications to fish in its waters. (Picture by David Ferguson.)

The island has announced its roadmap for issuing licences to fish in local waters to French vessels under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) but has yet to decide how many it will issue.

The UK, meanwhile, has reportedly turned down three-quarters of the applications from French fishermen – a report in today's Telegraph said that only 12 out of 47 applications have been approved.

This has sparked fury from the French, with the president of the Brittany fishermen's committee calling the figure 'a declaration of war on the water and on the land' and threatening a blockade of the country's ports against UK products.

Jersey has already attracted the ire of the French fishing fleet, which blockaded the port in May after the island issued its licences.

Jersey has not released the number of licences it has approved, but it is reported that it is fewer than the 169 requested.

A Guernsey States' release said it had received evidence to support applications from French boats to fish in local waters and this data will be reviewed during October, after which the qualifying vessels will be confirmed.

Licences will come into effect on 1 February, 2022.

Until then, the existing interim authorisation arrangement will continue for all vessels.