War of words heats up as fishing boat is held

THE Government is facing calls to step in and defend British fishermen after a UK boat was detained this week in a worsening row with France over post-Brexit fishing rights.

The Scottish scallop dredger, Cornelis Gert Jan, was ordered to divert to the port of Le Havre, after French authorities said it was fishing in French waters without a licence.

The French said that another British trawler had been fined for obstruction after refusing to allow police to board to carry out checks.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the row have involved the UK’s ambassador in Paris, Menna Rawlings, and Cabinet minister George Eustice. The incidents have arrived amid anger in France after the UK and Jersey turned down applications from dozens of French boats to fish in their waters, in what Paris said was a breach of Britain’s post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union.

French ministers have warned they will block British boats from some French ports and tighten checks on vessels travelling between France and the UK if the issue is not resolved by next Tuesday.

Environment Secretary Mr Eustice, the MP for Camborne and Redruth, said the French threats appeared to breach international law and warned the UK would respond in an “appropriate and calibrated” manner if they were carried out. He has been in contact with his French counterpart, while in Paris Mrs Rawlings has spoken to Europe minister Clement Beaune.

The owner of the Cornelis Gert Jan, Peterhead-based Macduff Shellfish, said the vessel had been fishing legally in French waters and called on the UK Government to protect the rights of British fishermen.

Andrew Brown, director of sustainability and public affairs at Macduff, said: “It appears our vessel has been caught up in the ongoing dispute between the UK and France on the implementation of the Brexit fishing agreement.

“The Cornelis does have catch aboard. This may be confiscated by the French authorities unless a speedy resolution is achieved. We are looking to the UK Government to defend the rights of the UK fishing fleet and ensure that the fishing rights provided under the Brexit fishing agreement are fully respected by the EU.”

In an emergency Commons statement, Mr Eustice said the Government was investigating what had happened. He said the vessel had been granted a licence by the EU, but that there were reports that it subsequently had been removed from the list of vessels permitted to fish in French waters for reasons that were unclear.

Earlier, France’s Europe minister, Mr Beaune, said: “We have been extremely patient, our fishermen have been extremely responsible, and so, from November 2, it’s over. We will engage in dialogue if the British want to, but we are taking retaliatory measures.”

He added: “Now we need to speak the language of force because, unfortunately, that seems to be the only thing this British Government understands.”

France’s maritime minister, Annick Girardin, said: “It’s not war, it’s a fight. We have fishing rights, we must defend them and we will defend them.”