French Navy 'ready to step in' as scallop war resurfaces
The French Navy is ready to intervene if tensions between British and French fishermen over scallop fishing grounds erupt once again, according to French agricultural minister Stephane Travert.
The minister said on Tuesday that he has spoken to his counterpart from Westminster ahead of scheduled talks on Wednesday that will attempt to calm a dispute that has seen British fishermen accusing the French of ramming their vessels and throwing projectiles, who in turn claim that they faced violent attacks.
"We can't keep going on like this, we can’t keep having skirmishes like that. The French Navy is ready to step in if more clashes break out, as well as carrying out checks," said Travert in an interview on CNews.
The dispute stems from the fact that British fishermen are permitted to dredge for scallops in the Baie de Seine while the French are restricted from doing so in the summer to maximise breeding.
Historically, British fishermen have generally agreed not to fish the waters while their French contemporaries are prohibited, but the dispute boiled over in the so-called 'scallop wars' of 2012.
This dispute was resolved after the former agreed to limit their scallop dredging in the Baie de Seine in exchange for some French scallop permits but has resurfaced amid ongoing Brexit negotiations, which could complicate future disputes over fishing rights in the channel.