Scallop wars ‘unlikely to spread’

Scallop wars ‘unlikely to spread’

Don Thompson, president of the Jersey Fishermen’s Association, said that while Island crews have frequent disagreements with their French counterparts, they realise they have to get on with the Island’s nearest neighbours and would not do anything to provoke violent action.

Tensions between French and British fishermen boiled over off the north coast of Normandy recently resulting in opposing vessels throwing rocks and flares at each other, while boats collided during angry confrontations.

The dispute arose because French president Emmanuel Macron has banned French fishermen from scallop fishing outside of the ‘open’ season between 1 October and 15 May in order to preserve stocks.

British boats have, however, been fishing in waters up to the French 12-mile limit during the closed season because it remains legal for them to do so.

On Monday night 40 French boats protested in the Bay of Seine, which is on the opposite side of the Cherbourg peninsula to Jersey, leading to clashes that left a number of British vessels damaged.

Mr Thompson said that Jersey’s close relationship with France would prevent a similar dispute happening with the Island’s fleet, however.

‘The dispute comes due to incompatibility between the British and French methods of conserving scallop stocks,’ he said.

‘The French, due to laws introduced recently, now have an open and closed system for scallop fishing. The British have been fishing for scallops in waters up to the French 12-mile limit during the closed season, which the French have obviously gotten upset about.

‘The same applies here [Jersey is not subject to the closed season] but despite the ongoing disputes we have with French fishermen over the Granville Bay treaty, which allows them to fish in our territorial waters, we know that we have to get on with our French counterparts and we do so.’

He added that Jersey fishermen try to avoid using a common area for scallop fishing during the French closed season.

‘There is an area for scallop fishing called Le Sauvage to the south-east of the Minquiers where both the French and Jersey fishermen have access to by way of the Granville Bay treaty,’ he said.

‘The French get a bit irate when Jersey boats go there during the closed season. But the Jersey fishermen generally don’t do it because they realise we have to get on with our French neighbours.’

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