Island seeking to calm waters with French over fishing deal

Jersey, too, is in the firing line as a call was made for the EU to look at ‘retaliatory action’ after the island announced it would be demanding that 75 boats stop fishing in its waters.

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

The UK has reportedly turned down three-quarters of applications from French fishermen to access UK waters – a report in yesterday’s Telegraph said that only 12 out of 47 had been approved.

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

Jersey’s handling of the licensing issue has already attracted the ire of the French fishing fleet, which blockaded the port back in May.

The island yesterday said it had added another 64 to the 47 licences already issued, but 75 boats will be given 30 days to stop fishing.

A States of Guernsey release said it had received evidence to support applications from French boats 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.

Policy & Resources lead for external relations Jonathan Le Tocq would not say how many licence applications had been made, only that it was ‘far fewer than 169’ that were received by Jersey.

He said that with so many bodies involved in the chain for these applications, some detail had been incorrectly communicated to Guernsey, with gaps or the wrong names of boats.

The information had to be double checked and this has been done both through official channels and informally.

‘Our relationship, because we’ve been willing to get round the table both with the local and regional politicians, and with the fishing community, has meant there is less disruption for us and they understand that methodology,’ he said.

Deputy Le Tocq attended the annual political summit meeting with the president of the regional council of Normandy, Herve Morin, and the president of the departmental council of La Manche, Jean Morin, last week to update them on the interim arrangements and the approach to future licensing policy.

He could understand why Jersey had chosen its approach, but Guernsey had not because the issues for the island were, and have always been, different, particularly with Jersey’s Bay of Granville Agreement.

‘We have got to hope, and it was demonstrated I think during the last debacle with Jersey, that they understand the difference between our approach and any other approach.

‘Our fishermen have been recognised as distinct from other fishermen when landing on the French coast and that we want to try at all costs to ensure remains in place and that’s what we are seeking to do,’ Deputy Le Tocq added.

Economic Development president Deputy Neil Inder said he hoped that the roadmap would provide certainty for those in the industry.

‘We are doing this at a pace that is right for the Bailiwick, and we look forward to progressing other work with our neighbours as soon as possible, not least resuming access for direct landings by Bailiwick fishermen at the port of Dielette.

‘It is important that we maintain a stable and predictable economic relationship for the fishing industry in and around the Bailiwick.’