Fresh freight threat after French trawler complaint

Thursday 20 May 2021

The Mayor of Granville has hinted at blocking Jersey fishers and freight again, as he threw his support behind a French trawler accused of illegally plundering protected island waters this week.

The Alizé 3 was chased away from the north of the island by Jersey’s maritime police vessel, the Norman Le Brocq, on Tuesday morning.

The 16m x 6m French trawler had been spotted moving up and down for several hours around a zone currently closed off for research into stocks of sea bream.

Pictured: Vessels are not allowed to tow or use mobile gear in the three numbered zones due to sea bream research currently underway there.

The Government said in a statement that evening that the incident – a potential breach of Jersey’s new regime for controlling fishing in its waters after Brexit – was under investigation. 

However, Ouest-France reported last night that the vessel had actually been given the green light to fish by French authorities on Monday.

The French Minister of the Sea, Annick Girardin, has previously said she considers new conditions limiting French fishers’ access to certain zones and days at sea in Jersey’s new regime “null and void”. The European Commission has also said such conditions “should not apply” until it receives scientific evidence justifying them from Jersey. 

Jersey’s Government has always maintained that the licences issued were based on the evidence they received about fishers’ activities in Jersey waters.

Pictured: The Government's Norman Le Brocq patrol vessel, which recently underwent a £500,000 refit.

A statement released by Granville authorities yesterday described their fishermen as “hostage to a situation where arbitrariness seems to reign.”

Granville Mayor Gilles Ménard told Ouest-France that “Jersey’s political decision to redefine the licensing conditions for French vessels is not acceptable”. 

“It it is not reviewed, an entire section of the local economy will be affected, with disastrous consequences for employment,” he said.

The reportedly “indignant” Mayor went on to raise previous retaliatory measures, including blocking Jersey fishers from landing their catch in Normandy, storming St. Helier Harbour and blocking freight destined for Jersey in the Port of Granville.

The same week that Norman and Breton boats swarmed Jersey’s harbour, the Conseil de la Manche signed an order to ban Jersey fishers from landing their catch in Normandy and block freight to the island, delaying the delivery of a cryochamber and immersion pool due to be used by the visiting Lions rugby team in June.

Pictured: Up to 70 vessels swarmed Jersey's harbour yesterday in protest at the new fishing regime.

However, that ban was lifted after Jersey offered to give French fishermen more time to provide documents evidencing their activities to help them secure licences with less restrictive conditions.

It also followed the island’s Government’s decision to refer the retaliatory measure to the European Commission. They claimed it broke the terms of the UK-EU Brexit deal, which says that sanctions can only be imposed on certain jurisdictions as a result of a dispute after an arbitration process. 

Despite the ban being officially lifted, a consignment of shellfish which landed in France yesterday was held "due to a query about the paperwork".

"However, with the help of Marine Resources and officials in the port the issue was resolved. All parties have agreed on a unified approach when future consignments are landed in order to help expediate the process," a Government spokesperson told Express this morning.

While the French authorities had claimed that the issue was related to paperwork, External Relations Minister Senator Ian Gorst told BBC Jersey yesterday morning that he believed this was actually “more a politicised intervention.”

On Monday, Senator Gorst joined Deputy Chief Minister Senator Lyndon Farnham at 10 Downing Street, where the pair spoke to Prime Minister Boris Johnson about the fishing crisis for around 40 minutes.

After the meeting, Senator Gorst said: "This visit provided the opportunity to further strengthen Jersey’s relationship with the Prime Minister, and to thank him for his personal support, and that of the UK Government, during recent challenges in respect of fisheries and the implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). We look forward working with the Prime Minister and his team over the coming weeks and months, particularly as we continue to consider the detail of the TCA."

Very pleased to meet @BorisJohnson @10DowningStreet this afternoon with @Ian_Gorst – confirming strong and enduring relationship between Jersey and the UK Government, and to continue working together to achieve the best outcomes for #JerseyCI pic.twitter.com/2bCf55SkoW

— Sen. Lyndon Farnham (@lyndonfarnham) May 18, 2021

Deputy Chief Minister Senator Farnham added: "While we have managed our relationships with UK Government colleagues well, and by virtual means, during the pandemic, I was pleased to have the opportunity to meet face to face with the Prime Minister, and a number of our other critical stakeholders,  over the last two days. The visit was an important opportunity to reaffirm the Island’s commitment to collaborative working, and to building on our established and positive relationships with key political contacts."