In the ongoing “scallop wars,” a British fishing boat has been accused of a “life-threatening” attack on a French vessel, the Rose de Cassia, off the coast of Brighton and Dieppe. The incident, which occurred on January 15, involved the British ship allegedly severing a cable essential to the French trawler’s operation. French officials expressed serious concerns about the potential consequences, including loss of life. The conflict highlights ongoing tensions in fishing rights since Brexit, with each side historically accusing the other of violations. Recent restrictions on fishing in British waters have further intensified the situation.
In the latest escalation of the “scallop wars”, a British fishing boat has been accused of carrying out a “life-threatening” attack on a French vessel.
Strait officials claimed the vessel carried out a deliberate attack between Brighton and Dieppe in the early hours of January 15, severing one of the trawler’s cables.
There are concerns that the allegations could reignite the conflict between the two sides, which have a history of constantly accusing the other of trespassing and violating fishing regulations.
The Henk Senior and the Rose de Cassia were two ships involved by Britain and France respectively when sailing through British waters.
The “attack” is said to have occurred an hour after the two ships passed each other, with a hook thrown by the British reportedly getting caught in the cable connecting the French ship to the net.
They then pulled the cable that forced the trawler astern, which subsequently snapped and the French vessel lost its net.
Etienne d’Asicour, co-owner of the French trawler, told Issi Nord: We have been warning since Brexit that there would be cohabitation issues across the English Channel. But we can’t risk people’s lives. ”
The fisherman also thought about what would have happened if the trawler had “overturned”, adding that the crew would have been lost and six people would have died.
There are concerns that this allegation marks a rekindling of the conflict between the two sides, with each side having a history of continually accusing the other of trespassing and violating fishing regulations. (File image)
Other French officials, such as Xavier Bertrand, head of the Hauts-de-France region, called the incident “a very serious incident.”
Other French officials, including Hauts-de-France regional director Xavier Bertrand, called the incident “a very serious incident.”
According to La Voix du Nord, the Rose de Cassia has now resumed fishing in British waters, while the Henk Senior is in the Dutch port of Vlissingen.
In last year’s Arch, Mr Bertrand criticized Britain’s ban on fishing in 13 marine reserves off the French coast, but this is not the first alleged attack in recent months.
The new restrictions came into effect on December 16 as part of the UK’s Fisheries Management Plan, which follows the UK becoming an independent coastal state after leaving the EU.
In 2014 and 2010, scuffles broke out over the fact that while British scallops are allowed to be fished all year round, French people were not allowed to fish from May 15th to October 1st. was.
Jersey was briefly blockaded in 2021 by French fishing vessels protesting the removal of fishing licenses due to Brexit.
