“The show of force is over – Now, it s politics that has to pick up the baton,” said Dimitri Rogoff
The Royal Navy late Thursday withdrew two vessels off Jersey Island, thus easing tensions with France over fishing rights and a demonstration by trawlers in demand of access to waters under a different legal status since Brexit.
HMS Severn and HMS Tamar had been sent to monitor the situation in “unwavering support for Jersey, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had put it.
We come today because we have always fished in the waters there. We have always fished here, and then overnight, they take away all our fishing rights, French trawlerman Ludovic Lazaro, who was among those taking part in the demonstration, told
UK recalls Navy vessels sent to Jersey in fishing row
World
May 7, 2021
LONDON: Britain on Thursday recalled two Royal Navy vessels sent to Jersey, the government announced, as French fishermen protesting over post-Brexit fishing rights returned home without blockading the island’s main port. Given the situation is resolved for now, the Royal Navy Offshore Patrol Vessels will prepare to return to port in the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office said in a statement.In the run up to Thursday’s protest, French fishermen had been loudly complaining about new licensing requirements announced by Jersey authorities.
They view the paperwork as deliberately obstructing them the same charge made by other French boat owners who have denounced delays in the licensing process for access to British territorial waters.
Jersey fishing row: EU accuses Britain of not respecting trade deal
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The European Commission has accused Britain of not respecting the Brexit trade deal as a face-off developed near the Channel island of Jersey over fishing rights.
The rights dispute has become more urgent in the last 24 hours after an apparent blockade by French boats, and after France and Britain both sent two naval vessels to the area.
The commission said it was only alerted on April 30 that the British authorities had granted 41 licences to EU vessels for fishing in Jersey’s territorial waters as of May 1 with specific conditions.
May 7, 2021 Share
Tensions between Britain and France regarding fishing rights eased late Thursday as Britain withdrew two naval ships from the waters around the British island of Jersey where French fishermen had staged a protest.
Around two dozen French trawlers sailed to the island to demonstrate early Thursday, setting off flares and displaying banners demanding access to Jersey waters. The French fishermen said they were being prevented from accessing the waters around the British territory that lies just off the northern French coast.
“We come today because we have always fished in the waters there. We have always fished here, and then overnight, they take away all our fishing rights,” French trawlerman Ludovic Lazaro, who was among those taking part in the demonstration, told Agence France-Presse.
6 May 2021
The Prime Minister spoke to the Chief Minister of Jersey, Senator John Le Fondré, the Deputy Chief Minister, Lyndon Farnham and the Minister of External Affairs, Ian Gorst this morning.
The Chief Minister updated the Prime Minister on the latest developments with French fishing vessels around Jersey’s coast.
The Prime Minister reiterated his unequivocal support for Jersey and confirmed that the two Royal Navy Offshore Patrol Vessels would remain in place to monitor the situation as a precautionary measure.
They agreed to stay in touch as the situation develops.
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