Posted
France has finally postponed for three days the application of retaliatory measures against Great Britain on the issue of fishing licenses. In Boulogne-sur-Mer, in Pas-de-Calais, fishermen and fishmongers are losing patience.
On the stalls of Boulogne-sur-Mer (Pas-de-Calais), French fish were in short supply this Tuesday, November 2. “We have nothing left, testifies Sylvie Dubelloy, fishmonger. And we’re starting to get bored of it. “ With each return of the vessel, the fishing is increasingly meager. The fish have migrated to UK waters but have not been able to fish there without a license since January. At this time of year, 70% of French fishing is usually done in this area. “If we can not go, it will be a big loss of income with a risk to the company”, suggests Maxime Fait, fishing boss of the Manureva boat.
France has given three more days to negotiate more clearances for its fishermen and is still threatening to prevent British sailors from unloading their cargo in France. A prospect feared by importers. “We would shoot ourselves in the foot”, explains Arnaud Deleforge, Managing Director of Marine SAS. Without British fish, more than half of its turnover is at risk. The secretaries of state of the two countries are due to meet on November 4 in Paris. The licenses of 250 French fishermen are at stake.