French fishermen Threaten Action Amid Stalling Brexit Talks

French fishermen are planning actions, including possibly blocking British vessels’ access to French ports, in protest against Britain’s refusal to grant them more licenses to operate in UK territorial waters, fishermen said on Tuesday.

France and Britain have been at loggerheads for months over how many licenses French fishermen should get as part of a post-Brexit deal, with France accusing Britain of not handing out enough permits and Britain saying it is respecting the deal.

But with stalling talks, fishermen have decided to take action, said Olivier Lepretre, president of the organization that represents fishermen’s interests in northern France. “Action is imminent,” Lepretre said. He did not give details.

But Stephane Fournier, one of the dozens of fishermen awaiting a license, told Reuters that fishermen across the region had been informed that the action would take place from Friday.