Tensions are rising in scallop wars
THE Anglo-French scallop war has been ramped up after French fishermen netted 44 bluefin tuna, which their UK rivals are banned from catching.
Two French commercial fishing boats were trawling for bream with a net when they caught the bluefin tuna, which is worth tens of thousands of pounds, off the Channel Islands.
The fish, rarely seen in British waters, weighed between 110lb and 264lb and were brought ashore at the port of Granville in France to be sold.
British fishermen caught in the “Battle of the Scallops” with French boats a week ago said the incident showed how the fishing policy was “unfair”.
Derek Meredith, of Brixham, Devon, who is the owner of two boats damaged in the attack in the English Channel, said: “It’s not an equal playing field.
“How can it be fair they come into our waters and are allowed to catch tuna, but we aren’t. We’re policed by our authorities and they seem to be able to do what they want.”
There are several species of bluefin tuna. The Atlantic bluefin can reach 10ft and weigh up to 1,500lbs. One sold for £1.09million in Tokyo in 2013.
Within EU waters, commercial or recreational vessels are banned from catching or targeting them unless authorised to do so by an EU member state. Britain currently has no quota to catch bluefin, which means they are banned for UK registered commercial fishing vessels.
If caught as a by-catch they must be returned to the sea, alive and unharmed. However, there is no reciprocal ban for the French.
During the “Battle of the Scallops” around 40 French boats are claimed to have confronted a dozen British vessels in the scallop-rich waters of Baie de Seine, off the Normandy coast.
Mr Meredith claimed his crew were left shaken after they were allegedly attacked with firebombs by the French fishermen.