On May 6, 2021, a small spat over the accessibility of premium fishing water between France and The United Kingdom escalated to both countries deploying warships and large coast guard vessels near the small island of Jersey in the English Channel, an extremely rich area in terms of the fish population. Here is how a relatively insignificant feud between two allies turned into a conflict of that magnitude.
The ability of foreign countries to access rich, British fishing waters was a major talking point in the UK’s prime minister, Boris Johnson’s infamous “Brexit.” From 2020 through 2026, when the deals were to be redrawn and discussed, European fishermen were estimated to lose 650 million Euros or 772 million USD. This is where the conflict started.
The agreement after Brexit stated that European Union fishermen had access to between 6-12 nautical miles from British Coast. The British government then enacted a policy that in simple terms required EU Fishermen to acquire brand new licenses to fish the waters. To obtain a license, a fisherman must provide evidence that they had previously fished the waters from 2012-2016.
The French Government’s response to this was that the UK had violated the agreement made after Brexit as previously stated. The French felt that this made it unreasonably more difficult for smaller boats to access the waters, this is because, while large boats are required to have geo-localization equipment which would prove they’d fished the waters before, small boats aren’t required to have it, and usually can’t afford it.
A contributing factor in the conflict was the fact that only half of the licenses requested by the French government have been issued. Many fishermen are losing access to the waters, even though they have the proper licensing. For example, one fisherman who usually fishes for 40-50 days out of the year, is only allowed 11 days a year currently.
In protest of the UK’s actions, 50 French trawlers gathered in front of a harbor on Jersey. Prime Minister Johnson then responded by dealing with two gunboats of the Royal Navy. The two groups stood in stand-off until the French trawlers sailed back to France. Since that day, the French Government and the UK vowed to work out the two’s differences.
In conclusion, this spat between France and Britain May seem small and insignificant to most, but it highlights the tensions and strife caused by the ever-controversial Brexit. Furthermore, it highlights how victimized both countries feel regarding the waters. The Brits believe that French fishermen are “stealing” the waters fish from brits, and the French seem to think the British are purposely violating agreements to harm the French and the EU.
By: Bryson Stewart
