French navy ready on scallops

The French navy is ready to intervene to prevent further clashes between fishermen harvesting scallops in the English Channel, the country’s agriculture minister has said.

Stephane Travert was speaking ahead of talks in London today designed to resolve tensions between French and British fishermen.

About 35 French boats confronted five British craft off the coast of northern France last week, with UK crews reporting rocks, smoke bombs and other projectiles being hurled at them.

The clashes have occurred in a scallop-rich area known as the Baie de Somme off the coast of Normandy.

National regulations allow British ships to fish legally in the area all year round, but French fishermen are banned from taking the molluscs between 15 May and 1 October to conserve stocks.

Mr Travert said: “We can’t keep going on like this.”