A fleet of French fishing vessels has threatened to block the main port of Jersey in protest of the loss of a number of fishing rights due to Brexit.
The United Kingdom “precautionarily” sent two Royal Navy ships, the HMS Severn and the HMS Tamar, to patrol the island this morning.
For their part, the French authorities have confirmed that the Athos military operation ship will arrive “immediately” to carry out a “patrol mission” – while local sources say that another ship is also on its way.
The development of the Military Operation Ship, France says, is intended to ensure the safety of people at sea and to accompany the fleet of about 50 French fishing vessels currently protesting off the coast of St Helier due to lack of access to the surrounding waters. Channel of the English Channel.
More than 100 French fishing vessels were intended to enter the port to prevent the Commodore Clipper cargo ship from docking, according to the local newspaper Bailiwick Express.
The Jersey Evening Post reports that the Commodore Goodwill merchant ship was initially “stranded” in port this morning, but was later allowed to pass.
French officials also said they would close the Channel Islands and stop importing products from Jersey to France.
Earlier, Paris threatened to cut off power to the island – which receives 95% of its electricity from France via three submarine cables – accusing Jersey of delaying the issuance of new licenses to French vessels.
One of the protesting fishermen told Sky News: “We went to Jersey to tell them we wanted to work as before. A boat like mine is no longer allowed to trawl and I have the right to come only for 34 days a year.
“If this continues, what will happen is that the number of fishing boats in Granville Bay will be very large, we will be on top of each other, and the resources of the area will be affected.”