UK risks French anger over fishing permits

Fresh tensions have surfaced between Britain and France over post-Brexit fishing rights.

The UK granted just 12 licences from 47 applications for smaller vessels to fish in its territorial waters.

French sea minister Annick Girardin reportedly said: "French fishing must not be taken hostage by the British for political ends."

A spokesman said the UK would continue to consider further evidence to support remaining applications.

He said that the government has "issued a large number of licences to EU vessels" seeking to fish in both the UK's exclusive economic zone and its smaller territorial sea.

Ms Girardin, quoted in French newspaper Le Monde, said: "It is a new refusal of the British to apply the conditions of the Brexit accord despite all the work undertaken together.

"I have only one watchword; to obtain definitive licences for our fishermen as the accord foresees."

But the spokesman for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the UK's approach "has been reasonable and fully in line with our commitments in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA)".

"As regards the 6-12nm zone, as set out in the TCA, EU vessels must provide evidence of a track record of fishing activity in those waters," he added.

Meanwhile, an announcement on post-Brexit permits around the island of Jersey, a Crown dependency, is expected later.

The fishermen complained about being prevented from operating in British waters because of difficulties in obtaining licences.

Under an agreement with the EU, French boat operators must show a history of fishing in the area to receive a licence for Jersey's waters. But it has been claimed additional requirements were added without notice.