Mud slinging across the Channel Deciphering the fish wars, Made easy
The latest development in the fishing row between France and the UK is a temporary truce. French President Emmanuel Macron was meant to enforce retaliatory measures Tuesday at midnight, but he didn’t.
The row is all about access to the other country’s respective waters, which for France include Channel Islands’ waters. A deal was drafted within the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, but the document lacks detail. This leaves the two countries open to different interpretations.
Hot topics include the Brits requesting French boats to provide their positional data, and France threatening to raise electricity tariffs for Jersey, the biggest of the Channel Islands. At the moment, some fifty-five French boats are awaiting permission to fish in the Channel Islands waters.
The squabble is more symbolic than substantial. Macron has put himself forward as the beacon of hope for a more united European Union, so it’s key for him to prove that countries that leave the bloc won’t just sweep the board.