Royal Navy ‘should intervene’ in scallop wars

Royal Navy warships should intervene to help British fishermen in the “scallop wars”, a Tory MP has said.

The call came after talks betweentheukandfrance to end a dispute over scallop fishing in the English Channel ended without agreement. Crews clashed last month over laws that allow British boats to gather scallops year-round, but place restrictions on French vessels.

Some 35 French boats confronted five British craft off the coast of northern France, with reports of rocks and smoke bombs hurled at UK vessels.

Tory MP Philip Hollobone, speaking in the Commons, said British fishermen had the “moral right” to fish in the region. He said: “If this fishing is taking place outside of French territorial waters why can’t the Royal Navy accompany our ships back into those fishing grounds?”