French and Jersey fishermen must talk

STOP – arrêt! It is time for the Jersey and French fishermen to sort out their problems for themselves. It is no use their relying on the parliamentary dignities of Paris and London, nor the statesmen of Jersey or Normandie – they do not understand your problems because they are not fishermen.

For the past 20 or so years you have fished together under the agreement of the Bay of Granville. You worked this out together and you can do it again. I don’t suggest the original was perfect, but it worked and it would give you a starting point for fresh negotiations between yourselves. Please, please get together again before this whole matter gets even more out of hand. Thrash out a new agreement on the understanding that it might not be perfect. You all need it; you all have expenses bearing down on you and a lot to lose if you do not get something sorted out.

I imagine Jean Paul Grosse looking down in frustration at your lack of negotiation. Please put aside your feelings; don’t be stubborn; don’t be greedy; just concentrate on arriving at something workable which will solve this fishing problem. I believe you are the only ones who can solve it – and if you do solve it, all the other people involved at the moment will give a sigh of relief and go with your decision.

You know there must be a solution, so you can all get back to work properly again and, if possible, before our parliaments come up with any more outrageous actions and I believe you can do it together – so please do try.

Why listen to me? I have no knowledge of fishing, but two of my dearest friends, Grahame Ingram and Paulo Grosse, were Jersey and Granville fishermen and I write this in loving memory of them.