French flotilla ends Jersey port fishing rights protest

A protest over post-Brexit rights by French fishermen at Jersey's main port has ended, following talks that aimed to resolve the row, the BBC reports.

About 60 boats protested at St Helier and two Royal Navy ships and two French vessels were sent to the area.

French fishermen say their rights are unfairly restricted by licences issued under the Channel Island's new system.

Jersey's External Relations Minister Ian Gorst said discussions were "positive".

However, a spokesman for fishermen from France's Normandy region suggested that no progress had been made during the talks.

"We're getting deeper into deadlock," Hugo Lehuby told Reuters news agency. "Either this gets resolved, or retaliatory measures are taken."

In Brussels, a European Commission spokeswoman said "additional conditions" attached to the new licences were a breach of the Brexit trade deal.

Meanwhile, No 10 said, in a call with Jersey officials, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had given his "unequivocal support" for the island and confirmed that the two Royal Navy vessels would "remain in place to monitor the situation as a precautionary measure".

HMS Severn, which has previously been used to shadow Russian navy warships off the English coast, can be seen from the port, sitting off about a mile from where the French boats were protesting. HMS Tamar is nearby and both ships are maintaining a presence and did not intervene in the protest.

Shortly after 13:30 BST the two French patrol vessels, police boat Athos and patroller Themis, appeared to be heading south, away from Jersey.

Earlier, the maritime prefecture of Manche and mer du Nord told the BBC the vessels were on a public service mission to ensure safety.

France has threatened to cut off electricity to Jersey, the largest Channel Island and a Crown dependency, located 14 miles (22km) off France. Crown dependencies are not part of the UK, but are defended and represented internationally by the UK government.

The boats were protesting against new fishing rules - introduced last week by the Jersey government under the UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) - which require French boats to show they have a history of fishing in Jersey's waters. But it has been claimed additional requirements were added without notice.

French authorities say "new technical measures" had not been communicated to the EU, rendering them "null and void".