The Environment Minister has resisted calls for more restrictive measures governing the licensing of replacement French fishing vessels in response to a Scrutiny review.
Deputy Jonathan Renouf said his proposals – allowing him to licence replacement French vessels to fish in Jersey’s territorial waters when a boat retires or leaves the fleet – had been approved ‘in principle’ by all States Members at the last States sitting. They were subsequently called in for review by the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel.
The minister said despite accepting the panel’s first three recommendations, ‘I cannot accept the fourth which suggests I bring forward a new and much more restrictive replacement vessel policy. This is, in my view, a solution to a problem that does not exist’.
Adopting the policy ‘would be excessively restrictive, risk breaching the terms of the TCA [Trade and Cooperation Agreement] and create numerous problems in managing the French fleet and in our diplomatic relations, all with no material gain in terms of managing fishing effort’, he added.
Deputy Renouf said his policy contained a cap on the total capacity and power of the French fleet, and allowed ‘some limited flexibility’.
The panel conducted a snap review of draft regulations setting out how EU boats holding a licence to fish in Jersey’s territorial waters could replace their vessel. They said the government should provide more information about the penalties that will be imposed on EU fishermen who break their new post-Brexit licence conditions.
Panel chair Deputy Steve Luce said it was ‘evident’ that the Jersey Fishermen’s Association felt they had not been ‘afforded the opportunity to have their concerns fully heard by government’.
Deputy Renouf’s replacement vessels proposition is due to be debated by the States this week.
