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French fishermen did not take offense at London’s refusal to grant all the fishing licenses promised to work in British waters. The French national fisheries committee announced the blocking, this Friday, November 26, of access to three ports in the Channel: Saint-Malo, Ouistreham and Calais. On land, they will block the access of freight trucks to the Channel Tunnel freight terminal for a few hours.
French fishermen are launching this Friday an operation to block ports and freight access to the Channel Tunnel, on the French side, to demand the settlement of post-Brexit fishing disputes with the United Kingdom. The atmosphere is that of great days: it is the first time, since the blockade of the island of Jersey last May, that French fishermen have organized a ” great day of action “.
► Also to listen: Post-Brexit fishing: the standoff continues
The fishermen have already blocked the entrance to the port of Saint-Malo between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. (7 a.m. to 8 a.m. UT). French ships blocked a fishing boat coming from Jersey. Dozens of boats must block the entry of ferries coming from Great Britain in three ports of the French Channel: Saint-Malo, Ouistreham, in Normandy, then Calais, in Hauts-de-France. In the afternoon, it is aboard their vans that the fishermen have planned to block, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., the access of goods trucks to the freight terminal of the Channel Tunnel. Symbolic at the entrance to ports, where the swell may not allow all the planned actions, the initiative is more threatening near the tunnel through which 25% of trade between the United Kingdom and Europe pass.
” If we have to go further, we will go further “
” The goal is for the British government to realize that we can also block English imported products. I don’t know if that can move the lines. But all I know is that if we have to go further, we will go further next time. There is a movement of humor so that, already, the European Union is well aware of our problems and that the British move a little “, we explains Olivier Leprêtre, president of the Hauts-de-France fisheries committee.
At the microphone ofAltin Lazaj, from RFI’s economy department, he also believes that ” the Johnson government is going out of its way not to give out these licenses, although it did sign the agreement that it gave licenses to French fishing boats. In return, the English fishermen – it is not only the fishermen, but all the trade – had access to the European market. “.
London received the message and reacted on Thursday evening, saying ” disappointed “By these” threats of protest “And urging France to” ensure that illegal acts are not committed and that trade is not affected “.
” The tree that hides the forest “
For the president of the national committee, “ this licensing issue is the tree that hides the forest: long-term relations with the UK will depend on its resolution “. While questioning the strength of the European commitment alongside EU fishermen, Gérard Romiti praised ” the ultimatum »Launched Wednesday by the European Commission, which asked London to settle this dispute by December 10.
Under the Brexit agreement signed at the end of 2020 between London and Brussels, European fishermen can continue to work in British waters provided they can prove that they were fishing there before. But the French and the British argue over the nature and extent of the supporting documents to be provided.
Since 1er January, France obtained ” more than 960 licenses Fishing in British waters and the Channel Islands, but Paris is still asking for more than 150 authorizations.
(And with agencies)