Paris sets fishing permit deadline to Britain and Jersey
FRANCE has set a two-week deadline for Britain and Jersey to give French fishermen greater access to their coastal waters or risk retaliatory measures.
During a tense meeting with the European Commission and representatives from the French fishing industry, Annick Girardin, France’s maritime minister, gave Britain and the Crown Dependency until Nov 1 to approve more licences or face possible retaliation.
Paris is furious that the UK approved just 15 permits for small French fishing boats to operate in its coastal waters out of the 47 applications made.
President Emmanuel Macron is under mounting pressure from French trawlermen and his political rivals and has told his government to draw up plans for reprisals against Britain in four areas, including cutting energy supplies to the UK and Jersey or severing Anglo-french ties in defence and security.
According to sources, Ms Girardin told Maros Sefcovic, the European Commission vice-president, and Virginijus Sinkevicius, the commissioner responsible for fisheries, that Paris could strike unilaterally if Britain or Jersey do not grant more licences to French vessels.
Jersey, which relies on France for 95 per cent of its electricity supply, has taken a similar decision to restrict the level of access for EU trawlermen off its coast. It issued 66 full licences and 31 temporary permits, but refused 73 applications. EU boats have until the end of October to provide data to prove their post-brexit right to fish in the Channel island’s waters.
Ms Girardin told the EU commissioners she is “preparing, with her colleagues from other ministries, response measures that France can implement from Nov 1, if necessary”, a source said.
“Boat-by-boat” negotiations are also under way between UK and EU officials in an attempt to establish whether more French vessels could be granted access to Britain’s coastal waters.
Leading representatives from the French fishing industry called on Brussels to walk out of the talks and hit Britain, which was accused of being in breach of the Brexit trade agreement, with retaliatory measures. According to a transcript of the meeting, Gerard Romiti, president of France’s National Committee of Fisheries and Aquaculture, said: “It is now a matter of politicians resuming their rights, raising their voice and initiating retaliatory measures so that no concessions are made to the English.”
A government spokesman said: “The Government has granted 98 per cent of licence applications from EU vessels to fish in our waters. Our approach has been reasonable and fully in line with our commitments in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).”