Disputes with the British: French fishermen plan to blockade the English Channel

Thursday, November 25, 2021

quarrel with the British
French fishermen plan to close the English Channel

The French fishermen apparently wanted to send a clear message to the dispute with the British over fishing rights. You want to disrupt the trade routes of the English Channel for a short time. For British retailers, this could mean further hiccups in the Christmas business.

In a fishing dispute between Great Britain and France, French fishermen are looking to block traffic routes across the English Channel this Friday. Among other things, a blockade of the canal tunnel in Calais is planned. It is about a time-limited, symbolic and non-violent protest, emphasized by the fishing union. Apart from Calais, the ports of Saint-Malo and Ouistreham are also affected. The action is a response to the British blockade of the granting of fishing licenses to French fishermen.

Despite months of negotiations, London and the Channel Islands in Jersey refused to issue valid licences. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in London that the situation was being monitored “very closely” and that “emergency plans” were at hand. However, France must ensure that “no illegal actions take place and trade is not affected”.

The Channel Strait between Calais and Dover is the UK’s main trade route. Most goods from the continent arrive on the island either via ferries or Eurotunnel. Therefore the blockade of these transport routes could seriously affect the British economy. In the ports of Calais, Saint-Malo and Ouistreham, fishermen want to disrupt ferry traffic with their boats for one to two hours. In Calais, truck access to the Channel Tunnel via the motorway is also to be blocked for two hours.

According to French fishermen, 237 licenses are still pending

According to the calculations of the French Fisheries Association, the British side has yet to issue 237 licences. The fishermen provided all the information requested and waived the countermeasures to return to the negotiating table. Now it appears that the results are not up to his patience and goodwill.

The EU Commission is aiming to resolve the conflict by December 10th. The announcement was made by the Commissioner in charge of the European Union Virginijus Sinquevicius on Twitter on Wednesday. “We are expediting negotiations for a final solution by December 10, 2021,” Synquevicius said after talks with British Environment Minister George Eustice.

The dispute between Paris and London is over fishing licenses for French fishermen from the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey, which are under the British Crown. The islands are much closer to the French coast than to the English coast. Since the UK left the European Union, French fishermen have had to apply for a licence. Because various applications have been rejected, France accused Great Britain of not complying with the Brexit agreements. London rejects it.