ALL temporary Jersey fishing licences for French fishermen expired this morning but the diplomatic situation remains ‘stable’, according to the Environment Minister.
Deputy John Young said that the government now needed to put the dispute in the past and focus on the ‘nature and extent’ clause negotiations. The clause governs what species EU fishermen can target, what equipment they can deploy and how much they can catch.
The JEP asked the government how many temporary licences were in force prior to the deadline – which expired at the end of January – but did not receive an answer at the time of going to print. However, as of the end of December there were around 30 temporary and 130 permanent licences granted.
Tensions have flared on numerous occasions over the past 12 months, most notably when around 60 French boats blockaded St Helier Harbour in May last year.
Deputy Young said: ‘I think we are very much hoping at this point, after all the intense effort by the Marine Resources Team and the huge amount of work by the UK and EU, that we have finally come to a definite position. One hundred and thirty licences have been issued and those licences are in force and those fishermen who have received that know that.
‘That now enables us to proceed to the issue of nature and extent and that is now what all our minds our focused on.’
Deputy Young added that there was currently no evidence of French vessels which did not qualify for a licence illegally operating in Jersey waters and that the position remained ‘stable’.
Last week, France’s Europe Minister Clément Beaune repeated his threat that his government could take legal action against the UK and Jersey if it failed to issue more permanent licences for Island waters.
Deputy Young said: ‘We have heard reports that the French are seeking to request the EU to invoke the [Brexit agreement] arbitration mechanisms but that has not happened and that is really good news. That has been the case throughout the dispute.
‘I think the thing we need to do is to say that we are putting all of this behind us as it has not been invoked. I believe all the meetings that they had with the EU, the technical committees…they have all upheld Jersey’s decisions that it has made on licensing.
‘That is a really good outcome.’
