Channel Island in Guernsey has granted over 40 fishing licenses to French boats. This was announced by the authorities of Guernsey. Thus, the concerned French fishermen will be able to continue fishing in the waters around the British Crown Estate after February 2022. The announcement comes amid Franco-British riots over post-Brexit fishing licenses. For example, Paris accuses London of granting too few permits.
In total, Guernsey granted 43 licenses out of 58 applications. Licensed French fishermen are allowed to cast their nets between 6 and 12 nautical miles off the coast of Channel Island. For the 15 boats that were not licensed, she added, “any additional information will be considered.”
As for Guernsey, which France considers a “trustworthy partner”, permits are not so much an issue as with British Channel Island in Jersey or with the UK itself. Guernsey Foreign Minister Jonathan Le Tuk described the issuance of the permits as an “important step” that we hope will lead to “certainty and stability”.
“111 more statements”
Since the beginning of this year, the British have granted about a thousand licenses to French boats to fish in British waters, but the French are demanding another hundred. They must come mainly from Jersey and London itself.
The French Minister of the Seas, Annick Girardin, is satisfied with the granting of licenses. “We – the European Commission and France – have made good progress with Guernsey in a matter of weeks. The efforts are paying off,” she said, stressing that “the battle is not over yet: 111 permits remain to be obtained.”
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