The United Kingdom and France have dispatched patrol boats to the British Channel island of Jersey amid an escalating row over post-Brexit fishing rights.
French trawler crews angry at restrictions placed on their access to UK fishing grounds after the latter’s departure from the European Union sailed to Jersey in a flotilla in the early hours of Thursday to register their protest.
A marine traffic website showed around 25 French-registered vessels were located near Jersey’s main port of St Helier shortly afterwards. Some of the French flotilla entered the port’s harbour during their protest.
The UK said it had sent two naval gunboats to “monitor the situation” in the waters surrounding the island in response.
The UK said it had sent two naval gunboats to “monitor the situation” in the waters surrounding the island in response.
France reacted in turn following the UK’s move, dispatching two of its own maritime patrol boats to the area.
The French navy said the vessels had been deployed on the orders of the French civil authorities.
France has warned it could cut off electricity to Jersey amid the ongoing row, a threat the UK has branded “unacceptable”.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, called for calm on Thursday over the dispute.