On Friday, French fishermen threatened to block the Passage of the Calais Tunnel and the ferry port as part of an ongoing dispute over access to waters between the two countries. France And the UK after Brexit.
They called the British practice “contempt” and “humiliation” and said they had no choice but to Block access to the port Tunnel with two other ports, Saint Malo And Oysterham.
The blockade may cause traffic jams on both sides of the strait to extend back several miles on Friday, disrupting trade flows and passenger travel. However, sources at the port downplayed the potential impact, saying that the volume of trucks on Friday is always low and the blockade appears to be “short-lived.”
“The fishermen demanded an immediate settlement of the interpretation dispute with the United Kingdom. Brexit Agreement,” Gérard Romiti, chairman of the National Marine Fisheries Commission, told French newspaper Le Figaro on Thursday.
“This is where we have demonstrated the quality and ability of professional fishermen to deal with the provocation, contempt and insults that Britain has made towards them,” he said.
According to reports, French fishermen planned to take action in Saint-Malo in the morning, Calais at noon and Ouistreham in the afternoon.
Last month, a dispute over fishing permits broke out near Jersey in the Channel Islands. French fishermen blame Britain Refusing to grant them sufficient licenses.
“We don’t want handouts, we just want our license. The UK must comply with the post-Brexit agreement. Too many fishermen still know nothing,” Romiti said.
“We have waited with our breath held for 11 months. The patience of professionals is limited. We hope to hear this warning,” he added, refusing to rule out the possibility of further action in the future.
A No. 10 spokesperson stated that Downing Street was “disappointed by the threat of protests”. He added: “France needs to ensure that there are no illegal activities and trade is not affected. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
The fishing dispute has developed into a dispute at the highest political level and is entangled with the wider deterioration of the relationship between Britain and the European Union.
this European Commission A resolution has been requested before December 10, but despite the recent phone call between Boris Johnson and Emmanuel Macron, the Brexit Secretary David Frost (David Frost) had a face-to-face meeting with the French Minister of European Affairs, but there was still no sign of a breakthrough, Clement Bohn.
Given the presence of Calais international media, fishermen can expect the largest media coverage. 27 drowning In the English Channel this week, they tried to travel to Britain by boat.
Blockades around ports and tunnels will cause disturbance to British fisheries. Since Brexit, all fish transported by ship or tunnel must be processed in France in accordance with Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) rules. SPS inspections are carried out 36 kilometers (23 miles) along the coast of Boulogne-sur-Mer, where all fish processing takes place.
French fishermen had previously taken matters into their own hands. In April, they blocked trucks transporting fish from British waters to processing centers in France. In May, the Royal Navy sent two patrol boats. French ship blocked The Port of St Helier in Jersey.
