France stands ready to take “retaliatory measures” against the Channel Island of Jersey if the British authorities continue to oppose French fishermen. The transmission of electricity from France via a submarine cable to the island could be interrupted, threatened minister Annick Girardin in Parliament.

She would be sorry if it had to come to that, but if it had to, she would not hesitate, said the minister. She said she discovered last Friday that the British had introduced new entry conditions for French fishermen, which would allow them to be active in the area for a shorter period and allow them to withdraw fewer species from the water.

The United Kingdom published a list of 41 French fishing vessels subject to new conditions which it considered were not ‘aligned, discussed or notified’ as part of the Brexit agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union. “Totally unacceptable,” says Girardin. It fears that if France does not take action, fishermen will also be banned from other fish-rich British waters.

The island of Jersey lies more than 20 kilometres from the Normandy coast. It is not part of the UK, but a British Crown Property. According to a coastal parliamentarian, French fishermen are furious and combative.