Tag Archives: French fishermen
French fishermen begin two-day strike to highlight ‘plague of crises’
Many French fishermen have begun a two-day strike to highlight a “plague of crises” hitting their sector, including EU regulation and post-Brexit turmoil. They are being called to walk out on Thursday (March 30) and Friday (March 31) to call for more government support. Industry group le Comité national des pêches (CNP) says the journées mortes (dead days) in French ports would mean no fishing boats going out, no fish sales, and no processing of fish food items. >click to read< 08:00
‘Our fish first!’ Post-Brexit fisheries deal signed by Macron sparks furious Frexit calls
Calls for France to leave the EU have reignited as Emmanuel Macron’s government fails to safeguard the interest of French fishermen after Brexit. Brussels has been accused of “organising the disappearance of the small-scale fishing industry” in France as a post-Brexit deal signed by Emmanuel Macron will force French fishermen’s catches out of their own markets to the advantage of British ones. Emmanuel Macron’s government has agreed to open up the Breton fish markets to fish caught by British vessels, something that infuriated French right-wing politicians. >click to read< 15:47
A Journey with French Fishermen
Usually, a crew consists of three to four people. The captain, who is frequently the owner of the fishing boat, is the oldest and most experienced. There are often also a few very young crew members. Many Senegalese fishermen find work on the boats. . In particular, I spent a lot of time with the crew of the fishing boat le Petit Maylise. I met Benoit first. It was a Friday morning, a day dedicated to repairing the boat and nets after days at sea. I saw a solitary silhouette from afar, bent over the nets, bathed in the soft light of rare sunny days in Normandy. The scene had something extremely spiritual about it. I introduced myself to Benoit and immediately got a great feeling from him. Then I met the other crew members: the captain, Jean Philippe; Aurielen; and young Mathis and Dylan. Photos, >click to read< 13:46
French and Jersey fishermen meet for first time since Harbour blockade
The meeting this month was the first since Norman and Breton fishing vessels blockaded the Harbour in May last year in a protest over post-Brexit fishing rights. Relations deteriorated to such an extent last summer that the UK sent two naval vessels to Jersey in response to the blockade and some French politicians threatened to cut off the Island’s electricity supply. The president of the Jersey Fishermen’s Association, Don Thompson, said the meetings were an important first step in improving relations with their French counterparts. ‘We invited the French fishermen and representatives to Jersey for this first meeting,’ Mr Thompson said. ‘We are working for solutions. Typical of fishermen, the meeting was very forthright. We got right to the point and did not hold back.’ >click to read< 10:20
Government ‘disappointed’ by French fishermen’s threats to block exports to UK
The Government has said it is “disappointed” by threats of protest action by French fishermen amid the escalating dispute over post-Brexit fishing rights,,, Talks are ongoing between Britain, France and the European Commission to settle the main source of contention, which is the number of licences to fish in waters around the British coastline for smaller French vessels which can prove they have historically operated there. But French fishermen are “exasperated” by the “endless months of waiting” and are ready to “exert more pressure” on the UK, according to the fishing committee for the northern Hauts-de-France region. >click to read< 19:15
Fishermen take aim at Emmanuel Macron over proposals for wind farms
Protestors had gathered on Friday in an attempt to voice their concerns against the plans for the wind projects. The protests took place in Le Havre and Cherbourg, with the protestors being made up of predominantly fishermen. The protestors believe that the plans for these wind projects are an ecological disaster, having an impact on both marine biodiversity and their economic activity. “They are going to kill everything. They are going to kill an artisanal industry, it’s catastrophic. Marine Le Pen also took to Twitter to stand in unity with the fishermen of France. “All my support for the fishermen who courageously oppose offshore wind projects. “Elected President of the Republic, I will immediately deconstruct wind farms on land and at sea and remove all subsidies for wind power.” >click to read< 09:23
France threatens to cut off the power to Jersey as leverage point in fishing rights dispute over UK water access
Responding to questions in the national assembly, Annick Girardin, the minister for maritime affairs, said she was “revolted” by the UK government’s behaviour over its waters and France was ready to retaliate. The British crown dependency of Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands, relies on “the transmission of electricity by underwater cable”, Girardin said as she was questioned by assembly members, raising the supply as a point of leverage. “I would regret it if we were to get there,” the minister said, but “we will do so if we have to.” >click to read< 22:44
Fishermen call on Macron to halt Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm, threaten “unprecedented confrontations”
French fishermen have called on President Emmanuel Macron to cancel the 496MW Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm, threatening “unprecedented confrontations” if their demands are not met. The fishermen oppose the project as they say it will damage the marine environment, especially scallops, 
and the fishing industry. “The State must have the ambition to cancel this project,” Alain Coudray, president of the Côtes-d’Armor departmental fisheries committee, said in an open letter to the president,,, “It is not yet too late to prevent unprecedented confrontations from emerging in the bay of Saint-Brieuc,” >click to read< 09:26
Cornish fishermen betrayed by Boris’ Brexit deal – What Changes for French Fishermen?
The Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation shares its reaction to the UK’s Brexit trade deal. On Tuesday 29th December members of the Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation (CFPO) met to discuss the long-awaited Brexit trade deal. Despite the UK Government hailing the deal as a success, Cornish fishermen have been left feeling betrayed by Boris Johnson, as it now appears key promises made to the industry have been broken. Paul Trebilcock, CEO of the CFPO – representing the interests of hundreds of fishermen across Cornwall – explains why his members have been left reeling from the 
deal,, >click to read< BREXIT DEAL: What Changes for French Fishermen – Following intense negotiations, an agreement was finally reached with the United Kingdom, which preserves the activity of French and European fishermen in British waters. The agreement specifies that France has until June 1, 2026 to gradually achieve a 25% reduction in its fishing quotas in British waters. France has obtained preservation of access within 6/12 miles as well as in the exclusive economic zone until that date. This also concerns species that are not under quotas, such as sea bass, squid or scallops. >click to read< 10:46
Fishermen vow to prevent construction of Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm – would rather die than allow it to go ahead
French fishermen have declared that they would rather die fighting than allow a fully approved offshore wind farm to be built off Brittany, and have vowed to take direct action to prevent construction. The row has led the French wind industry to write to President Emmanuel Macron, warning that it is being “held hostage to sterile debates’ led by organisations “stirring up false fears’ about renewable energy. The fishermen’s association from the nearby British island of Jersey is supporting their French counterparts’ opposition to Saint-Brieuc, arguing that the project would push French fishing boats out of their territorial waters and into UK waters. >click to read< 08:47
French fishermen could pay to fish British waters after Brexit
According to an expert, French fishermen could be forced to pay to fish in British waters after Brexit. Prime Minister Boris Johnson could bill the French President Emmanuel Macron millions each year for fishermen who want access to our waters. A deal over fisheries could be struck between Johnson and Macron, but only if the French President backs down on his demands. “When I’ve talked to fishermen and the British fishing industry, they said they don’t want it all. The truth is, they can’t catch it all, the fleet isn’t big enough. >click to read< 08:49
Jimmy Buchan warns no-deal Brexit ‘will hurt’ Scottish fishing industry
The warnings come just days after the final round of scheduled talks between London and Brussels broke off, with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier accusing his opposite number, David Frost, of not showing “any true will” to reach a deal. Since the outset of negotiations the EU has demanded “status quo” access to UK waters, which would essentially mean a continuation of the common fisheries policy, something that has been categorically rejected by Boris Johnson. Jimmy Buchan, chief executive of the Scottish Seafood Association, told the Commons environment committee that, despite the differences, a deal must be done “no question”. >click to read< 16:57
Fishermen warn of ‘mayhem’ on seas in event of no-deal Brexit, concerns of conflict between trawlers from different countries
Fisherman Michael Cavanagh has no doubts about the potential for violence on the high seas in the event of a no-deal Brexit at the end of the month. The Greencastle-based skipper says that just after the initial March 29th deadline passed, an Irish crew fishing for crab off Scotland got a nasty shock, even though there had been an extension. “They went to haul their pots, but 400 of them had already been hauled and the eye (which crabs crawl through) had been cut out of all the pots. And it wasn’t Boris Johnson who did it.” >click to read< 16:14
Scallop wars: French fishermen pull plug on talks with UK rivals
French fishermen have broken off talks with British rivals for a new deal on access to scallop-rich waters in the English Channel, a long-simmering conflict that flared into a high-seas confrontation last month. Representatives from both sides had been meeting in London since last week to hammer out an accord that would stop smaller British boats from scooping up the prized mollusks outside the official fishing season. “It’s game over,” Hubert Carre, the head of France’s CNPMEM national fishing committee, told AFP. >click to read<10:30
Tensions escalate in scallop wars as French fishermen venture into British waters to net 44 bluefin tuna
The battle between British and French fisherman escalated again today after Gallic trawlers grabbed a giant haul of bluefin tuna off Jersey that their UK rivals must throw back. Two boats based in Normandy caught 44 of the valuable protected fish while hunting for bream off the Channel Islands – adding to already simmering tensions between the two nations. The tuna, each weighing between 50kg and 120kg and worth more than £100,000 in total, were then brought ashore at Granville in France to be sold. British fishermen caught in the ‘Battle of the Scallops’ last week say the new development proves their French foes are hypocrites. >click to read<09:02
You should have seen the ones that got away…
TWO French fishermen working off the south-west coast of Jersey got a surprise – when they caught 44 bluefin tuna. The fish, which are rarely seen in the Island’s waters, weighed between 50 and 120 kg and were brought ashore at the nearby port of Granville to be sold. Normandy newspaper La Manche Libre reported that the tuna were caught by two commercial vessels that were pair-trawling for bream west of the Minquiers. >click to read<11:09
Scallop War – French fishermen vow to ‘use the heavy artillery’ in next Channel clash with English scallop rivals
French fishermen now appear to be planning to step up their attacks on British vessels as they branded out trawlers “roast beef”. One, Pierre Sophie, raged the “war” is not over and vowed to keep attacking UK fisherman in the English Channel. In one rant, he said: “Will (sic) come back with more boats! We’ll have to get the heavy artillery out!!!” He also shared footage of the violent clash on Tuesday with the caption: “Bunch of b*****ds”. Another fisherman, , Steph LF, boasted about the attack, saying how “the little French frog… ate some f***ing British roast beef”. >click to read<11:34
Calais and Boulogne blocked by protesting French fishermen
French fishermen have blocked the ports of Calais and Boulogne in protest at so-called pulse fishing, which uses electrified nets to stun fish. Fishing boats stopped ferries entering or leaving Calais while a roadblock stopped traffic at Boulogne. Calais is a major link between the UK and France used by thousands of tourists and lorries every day. The European Parliament recently voted to ban pulse fishing which is mainly used by Dutch trawlers. >click here to read< 09:59
French fishermen bag a Portuguese submarine!
French fishermen bagged the biggest catch of their lives when they reeled in a Portuguese submarine. The 220ft navy vessel got tangled in the net of a trawler off the English coast as it was taking part in a training mission. Portugal’s Armed Forces General Staff said the sub got too close to the boat when it was below the surface about 34 miles (55km) southeast of Lizard Point in Cornwall. The trawler, Daytona, which is registered to port in northwest France called Saint-Brieuc, was fishing in the area. Blissfully unaware there was an assault sub below them, fully equipped with eight torpedoes and four harpoons, the fishermen plodded along with their work. The Tridente-class submarine, which weighs more than 2,000 tonnes, got stuck in the net and hit the fishing boat as it tried to surface. Read the rest here 11:04
‘Objects thrown’ as Brixham fishermen are threatened by French vessels in the English Channel
BRIXHAM fishermen have been involved in a fracas with their French counterparts in the English Channel this morning. The scallop trawler Joanna C was surrounded by ten French vessels in the Baie de Seine, off Le Harve, with the Brixham fishermen then claiming that objects were thrown at them.The vessel has now been forced to abandon its fishing trip and return to port in Devon. Derek Meredith, who owns the Joanna C,He said: “The French fishermen surrounded my trawler and threatened to smash it up.” Read the rest here 18:29
