Fishing row: Jersey fishermen want fishing areas closed

In May, about 60 French fishing vessels staged a protest outside the harbour at St Helier, Jersey

The Jersey Fishermen's Association (JFA) has called on the government to close its fishing areas to all vessels.

The group wants several of the fisheries closed for six weeks and demanded the declassification of its waters be removed.

It comes as tensions rose in the past week over rights of French fishing boats to work in UK waters.

It led to France warning that it could cut electricity supplies to Jersey as it previously threatened in May.

France was angered by a decision from the UK and Jersey in September to deny fishing licences to dozens of French boats and argued this breached the Brexit deal.

It then warned it would tighten checks on UK boats and trucks if the dispute over fishing licences was not resolved by Tuesday.

France has also said it could block its ports to British vessels in retaliation.

'Unable to land'

Jersey's government said this week it was "extremely disappointed" at the French stance.

On Friday the JFA met with government ministers and has since written proposals in respect of the threats by France.

Don Thompson, the president of the JFA, said in a letter: "We now have a situation where our local fleet are tied up as Jersey's fish exporters are prevented from accessing European markets and our fishermen are unable to land into France.

"At the same time we watch as French vessels continue to fish with licenses valued at £14 million (issued free of charge by Jersey) in Jersey waters, on Jersey's fish stocks and land back into France without constraint.

"This situation, we have stated is entirely unacceptable."

The letter called on Jersey's government to take a number of measures with revocation of all licences to be considered "only as a last resort".

The States has been contacted for comment.

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