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Jersey row: fishing leader says French threats ‘close to act of war’

Don Thompson says response from France is ‘like something you would see from Iran or Russia’
France’s response to post-Brexit fishing restrictions around the island of Jersey has been described as “pretty close to an act of war” by fishing community leaders in St Helier. They say they have been told 100 boats are being lined up in France for a 6am blockade at the main Channel Island port on Thursday, threatening food and energy supplies.
“It was inevitable that the French would kick off,” said the head of the Jersey Fishermen’s Association, Don Thompson. “But the reaction we’re seeing from France is almost like something you would see from Iran or Russia. They’re not just saying they can cut off the electricity supply, French fishermen are saying that they’re coming tomorrow
The French maritime minister hinted on Tuesday that France could cut off electricity supplies to Jersey in retaliation for restrictions the self-governing island has imposed on French vessels.
At the centre of the dispute is post-Brexit arrangements for the shared waters in the 13-mile stretch between France and Jersey. New licences were issued on Friday, the last day of a four-month grace period after Brexit, which ended the 200-year-old Granville Bay treaty on shared fishing rights.Thompson argues the treaty was flawed and “gave the French the authority to write their own access permits for waters, and consequently we’ve seen a decline in the primary shellfish stocks.” He said Brexit had given Jersey the authority to manage its own waters and for the first time it was exercising its legal right to apply conditions in line with sustainability goals.
But not everyone in the local fishing sector agrees. The island’s leading oyster and mussel fisherman, Chris Le Masurier, is scathing and says the problem is not Brexit but the local government’s “incompetent bunch of idiots”.
“I am so drained after this weekend because every French fisherman I know phoned me to complain,” he said. “I have been dealing with France for 30 years and I’ve learned there is a way to deal with our closest neighbour,” he told the local online news outlet Bailiwick Express. “It seems that the new licences were sent out Friday and then everyone ran out of the office. It was a complete insult to the French. It’s as if an apprentice who started on Friday has issued the licences. This has all been done in a pathetic way.”
At stake are just 70 French vessels fishing mainly shellfish including scallops, whelks and lobster. Jersey issued licences to the 41 French boats over 12 metres on Friday but French politicians claimed that without any notice they came with restrictions on the number of fishing days and the fishing equipment allowed.
One French national assembly member, Bertrand Sorre, said a fisher from Granville who fished for scallops and whelks “on average 40 days a year” in Jersey waters had been told he would have access for only 11 days. “The anger is roaring and the desire to do battle is palpable,” Sorre said.
Jean-Marc Julienne, the president of the House of Normandy and La Manche, Normandy’s representation in Jersey, said it was vital the dispute was resolved quickly.
“I am worried that the situation could get out of control,” he said, “and I don’t want it to get to that point because we know very well that after that it will be very hard to restart the negotiations.”
source: Lisa O'Carroll
Levant
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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