Two British coastal patrol boats rush to the English Channel due to French fishermen – VIDEO

Defence Redefined

Published on 06/05/2021 at 12:42

Two coastal patrol boats (River-class offshore patrol boats) have been dispatched by Britain in order to prevent the blockade of the island of Jersey in the English Channel by French fishermen.

Dozens of French fishing boats have gathered in the area early in the morning in protest of the island government’s criteria for granting fishing permits in the area. 

According to Paris, these criteria go beyond what is provided for in the Brexit agreement. The French fishermen had warned that they would block the main port of the island, in the capital St. Helier.

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The diplomatic dispute escalated after the French Minister of Maritime Affairs said that her country could cut off electricity to Jersey – which receives 95% of its electricity from France via submarine cables.

The warnings prompted local Jersey leader Sen. John Le Fonder to communicate with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as Jersey is a self-governing but dependent territory of the United Kingdom.

Morning images from the area show about 80 French fishing boats sailing and in the background the two coastal patrols HMS Severn and HMS Tamar monitoring their movements.

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