Invasion of French sea bass pirates
Trawlers exploit bad weather to plunder the fish in OUR waters
While strong winds and rain kept most British boats in port, French trawlers – better able to cope with the rough seas – moved in. FRENCH fishermen were yesterday accused of taking advantage of bad weather to dash across the Channel and plunder seabass off the Cornish coast.
Tracking technology showed that up to 20 were particularly close to the Cornish coast – making a quick retreat on Sunday lunchtime when around 12 boats left local harbours. However, British fisherman fear they will return and one promised to start stoning the French if they came back. Tensions are already high in the Channel after scallop clashes between French and British fleets in the summer. Yesterday skippers returning to Looe, a fishing port in Cornwall, rolled their eyes at any mention of French trawlers. ‘Ever since we decided to come out of the EU they have made a point of being here,’ said Colin Matthews, 64.
‘They know exactly what they are targeting. Seabass, haddock. They take all the fish they can catch and then, when we get out there, we’ve got nothing.
‘They are very good fisherman and they’re years ahead of us with equipment, but we’ve got the fish.’
Dave Bond, 60, skipper of Mystique II, added: ‘The French come when the weather is bad and our boats are tied up. We went out Sunday afternoon and they moved off. They knew they had to go as the weather had cleared up.’
The French boats spotted at the weekend were between six and 12 nautical miles off the Cornish coast. Their bigger trawlers are able to withstand the stormy weather much better. They are entitled to fish up to 12 nautical miles off the coast of the UK.
However, those who have been fishing for decades are entitled to fish up to six nautical miles off the coast, using a privilege known as grandfather rights.
British fishermen fear many of the French trawlers are not entitled to work in the 12 to six-mile band. Others fear some boats are coming even closer than six miles. Phil Curtis, 55, said: ‘They’re definitely pushing that limit. They all claim grandfather rights but they’re all company boats now – they’re not run by individuals like us.’
Ian Lott, 55, at Maritime Media Services monitors trawler fleet movements and spotted the French boats on a tracking app at the weekend. Mr Lott, of Plymouth said he ‘couldn’t believe what he was seeing – all these French vessels have taken advantage of the bad weather overnight’.
It was the ‘biggest ever invasion’ of French trawlers he’d seen. ‘There will be a conflict,’ he added. ‘This is now becoming a joke. Rubbing our noses in it.’
The Cornish fisherman are anticipating the French will be back later this week – when stormy weather is forecast to return.
The spot is known for being slightly sheltered, giving the boats the perfect excuse to be there. But data from trackers shows they are releasing their nets at the same time, leaving little for the British fleet when the weather improves.
Yesterday skippers vowed to fight back if the French continue to return to the spot. Derek Meredith, 50, of Brixham, Devon, said: ‘We’re going to start stoning them, why should we allow them in our waters if they don’t let us in theirs?’
In August fishermen clashed – ramming each others’ boats and throwing rocks, bottles and emergency flares – after Britons were accused of ‘looting’ scallops in the Bay of Seine, in Northern France.