Now that the United Kingdom has left the EU, protesters have decided to spend the night at a checkpoint testing British trucks loading fish on the way to Gallagher and Dunkirk. Fishermen set fire to wooden trays and car tires to keep them warm.
After hearing about the planned operation in Bologna-sur-Mer, many British truck drivers chose to go the other way. According to French reporters, there were almost no British trucks in Bologna on Thursday.
Some fishing boats flying under the British flag for Dutch companies have also decided to land their catch elsewhere. According to the port master, the ships have been diverted to Belgian ports.
Fisheries were one of the main controversies in the Brexit talks between the EU and the United Kingdom late last year. The UK called for full control over its own waters, while some EU member states wanted to enforce guarantees that their fishermen could continue to fish in British waters. The final compromise between Brussels and London, among other things, was for European fishermen to gradually surrender a quarter of their quota over a period of 5.5 years.
British fishermen, many of whom have relied on exports to the EU, are dissatisfied with trade after Brexit. Boundary restrictions have been introduced since their departure from the EU and their dependence on rapid transport, and their livelihoods are at risk.
