British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has sent two Navy patrol vessels to Jersey over concerns that French fishermen could blockade its main port in an escalating post-Brexit row.
Meanwhile French fishermen plan to converge on the island’s main port St Helier on Thursday (6 May), although authorities have said they do not intend to block access.
On Thursday morning, around 100 French fishing vessels will sail to Jersey port to protest over the issuing of the licences, the head of fisheries for the Normandy region, Dimitri Rogoff, told AFP.
Rogoff said however that they would not try to blockade the port and would return to France in the afternoon.
Moment French trawler rams UK boat then chases after it as tense stand-off in Channel escalates with Macron sending SECOND gunboat to meet two Royal Navy warships after EU accuses island of breaking Brexit law
HMS Severn and HMS Tamar were sent from Portsmouth as a precaution in ratcheting up of row with France
The Royal Navy ships are roaming Channel after Paris warned yesterday it could cut off electricity to Jersey
PM deployed the ships after intelligence said 100 French boats could blockade Saint Helier Thursday morning
French maritime minister yesterday accused Jersey of dragging its feet over licences for French fishing boats
France sends patrol boats as tensions flare with U.K. on fish ctvnews.ca - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ctvnews.ca Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
WE CAN’T BARE IT
Jersey supermarkets will be EMPTY in just two days unless Royal Navy breaks French trawler blockade, bosses warn
Updated: May 6 2021, 8:33 ET
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SUPERMARKET bosses in Jersey have warned shelves will be empty by Saturday unless the Royal Navy can stop French trawlers blockading the island s port.
Stocks of bread, fruit, fresh meat and vegetables will be gone if freight ships cannot deliver their crucial daily supplies, CEO of Jersey Co-op Mark Cox said.
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People on board the vessels were seen setting off flares as tensions continued to rise this morning - with the Royal Navy lurking in the backgroundCredit: SWNS
Former British ambassador Craig Murray described the move as stupid . The row erupted after the Jersey government said French fishing boats would be required to obtain a licence to fish in the island’s waters under the terms of the UK’s post-Brexit trade deal with the EU which came into force last week. It caused anger in French fishing communities, who complained that boats which had operated there for years were suddenly having their access to the fisheries restricted. Earlier this week, French maritime minister Annick Girardin said Paris would cut off electricity to Jersey – which gets 95% of its power supply from France – if the dispute was not resolved.