Fish row blockade
Trawler storm escalates as the French vow to ruin UK Christmas
FRENCH fishermen blocked the entrance to the Channel Tunnel yesterday amid threats to ruin the UK’s Christmas if their demands over licences are not met.
In a dramatic escalation of the postBrexit row over access to British waters, militant unions stopped freight access to the tunnel using barriers and a convoy of vehicles.
The two-hour blockade in Coquelles near Calais was masterminded to disrupt trade between the UK and France and resulted in huge tailbacks.
In separate demonstrations orchestrated by France’s powerful fishing union to target British vessels, three ports were also blockaded by boats.
Union leaders warned they were prepared to ‘show more teeth’ by ratcheting up demonstrations in the weeks ahead.
French fishermen said they had launched the protests out of desperation at Britain’s failure to hand out enough licences under a post-Brexit deal.
They claim 237 licences to work in British waters and off Jersey and Guernsey are still pending, a figure the UK Government disputes.
Around 100 fishermen in 30 vans set off a smoke bomb as they barricaded the main freight entrance to the Channel Tunnel at 2pm local time using burning pallets and a metal pole.
Jean Michel Fournier, a fisherman from near Boulogne, said: ‘If we don’t get anywhere, believe me, the English will not have a magic Christmas. We’ll ruin the party.’
Dozens of French police patrolled the ensuing queues on the A16 motorway to ensure migrants did not stow away on stationary vehicles. The protest only targeted freight traffic, but also affected car and van drivers, with an adjoining junction having to close.
A banner on a perimeter fence near the Eurotunnel entrance read: ‘We want our licences back.’
Eurotunnel said that it had put on an additional 11 trains to help deal with backlogs.
Several trawlers blockaded the port of Calais, a major entry point to the European market for British goods, in a 90-minute protest from midday.
Some of the boats moved inside the port to block the progress of two ferries operated by DFDS and P&O. Freight companies said services from Calais port were running with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes after the demonstrations.
French fishermen lit flares yesterday morning as they started the series of demonstrations at SaintMalo, where disruption was limited due to poor weather conditions. Several boats blockaded the Normandy Trader, a Jersey-based vessel, for around an hour.
The ship’s captain Chris Le Masurier, who was carrying 50 tonnes of oysters, said those surrounding his boat were courteous, adding: ‘I share their frustrations.’
Half a dozen fishing boats let off flares and blocked access to ferries at the port of Ouistreham.
Fisherman Dominique Ramet said: ‘The French government seems to be well aware of the problem. Now it’s up to Europe to make the British feel it.’
A spokesman for Boris Johnson said Britain’s position on fishing licences had not changed and the UK was monitoring the protests.
‘We look to the French authorities to ensure the free flow of traffic and trade to ensure the trade is not disrupted,’ he added.
The UK insists it has not discriminated against French fishermen and has issued around 1,700 licenses to EU vessels.
Earlier this week, the EU called for the fishing row to be resolved by December 10.
Although the number of licences involved in the dispute is tiny, the issue has been seized on by French president Emmanuel Macron, who faces re-election next year and has called for the UK to be punished.
In late October, France threatened to ban British fishing boats from unloading their catches at French ports and to subject all British imports to inspections.