Scallop wars: French fishermen attack British boats in English Channel
Stones and smoke bombs thrown in clash over French fishing rules
French and English fishing boats have clashed in a violent skirmish off the coast of Normandy, amid rising tensions over a row about the fishing of scallops.
Around 35 French fishing boats appeared to surround five UK vessels in a stand-off early on Tuesday morning, with rocks and flares thrown, says Sky News.
One boat is believed to have crashed into another, and some of the British vessels reportedly returned to UK harbours with signs of “criminal” damage.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The altercation took place in Baie de Seine, a region of the English Channel where British boats are allowed to fish most of the year. However, France has imposed rules that mean its own fisherman are only able to fish there between October and mid-May, to allow scallops to breed and thereby preserve stocks.
French fisherman in the region have accused their British counterparts of depleting fish stocks during the summer months, and have called for UK fisherman to be subject to the same laws.
ITV News reports that one French fisherman said if they “leave them [the British] to it, they will finish the sector”. Another added: “We have quotas, we have hours. They have nothing.
“They start working a month before us. And, they leave us the crumbs. What we want, is that they come and scrape at the same time as us. In October, like everyone. And, that way there will be no problems.”
Normandy fishing chief Dimitri Rogoff said: “The French went to contact the British to stop them working and they clashed with each other. Apparently, there was stone-throwing but no injuries.”
British and French fishermen have been arguing about the issue for the past 15 years, leading to angry disputes that have been dubbed “scallop wars”, The Guardian reports.
According to Rogoff, the row would be resolved, albeit inadvertently, in the event of a no-deal Brexit - which would see UK fishermen entirely prohibited from the waters. He added: “After 29 March 2019, they would be treated as a third party and would no longer have access to these areas.”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
7 beautiful towns to visit in Switzerland during the holidays
The Week Recommends Find bliss in these charming Swiss locales that blend the traditional with the modern
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Werewolf bill
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'This needs to be a bigger deal'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
John Prescott: was he Labour's last link to the working class?
Today's Big Quesiton 'A total one-off': tributes have poured in for the former deputy PM and trade unionist
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Last hopes for justice for UK's nuclear test veterans
Under the Radar Thousands of ex-service personnel say their lives have been blighted by aggressive cancers and genetic mutations
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will Donald Trump wreck the Brexit deal?
Today's Big Question President-elect's victory could help UK's reset with the EU, but a free-trade agreement with the US to dodge his threatened tariffs could hinder it
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is the next Tory leader up against?
Today's Big Question Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will have to unify warring factions and win back disillusioned voters – without alienating the centre ground
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is Lammy hoping to achieve in China?
Today's Big Question Foreign secretary heads to Beijing as Labour seeks cooperation on global challenges and courts opportunities for trade and investment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The fishy diplomacy causing tensions between Bangladesh and India
Under The Radar Exports of a 'sacred' fish were recently suspended during difficult relations for the two nations
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
UK's Starmer slams 'far-right thuggery' at riots
Speed Read The anti-immigrant violence was spurred by false rumors that the suspect in the Southport knife attack was an immigrant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published