London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2025

UK fishing boat still held by French, despite minister George Eustice's claim

UK fishing boat still held by French, despite minister George Eustice's claim

A British trawler, seized by France last week, is still being held in Le Harve, despite suggestions from the environment secretary to the contrary.

Speaking to the BBC on Tuesday, George Eustice said he thought the Cornelis Gert Jan had been released.

However, Macduff Shellfish, the owners of the boat said it was still impounded.

And Downing Street later confirmed that the fishing vessel remained in the French port.

The seizure of the boat comes amid a diplomatic row between the UK and France over licences allowing French boats to fish in British waters.

France accused the UK of denying permits to French fishermen and threatened to retaliate by blocking British boats from French ports and tightening border checks on British goods.

The UK insisted it was sticking to the post-Brexit EU-UK agreement and warned it would take legal action unless France withdrew its threats.

Mr Eustice told the BBC there had been "constructive talks" between the two countries on Monday and that further discussions would continue over the week.

French Maritime Minister Annick Giardin said her government wanted the British to provide, by the end of Tuesday, a document "detailing the conditions for obtaining licenses for the 14 vessels in the 6-12 nautical mile zone".

She also urged Jersey to reconsider the cases of 13 vessels which she said should be given licences "very quickly".

Asked about the seized trawler, Mr Eustice said there had been some "administrative confusion" but added that he did not think the vessel was still being held by the French.

However, Macduff Shellfish later said they were "not aware" that their trawler had been released by French authorities.

Andrew Brown, the company's director of sustainability and public affairs, said: "Right now we are tied up seeking to secure the release of the vessel.

"Our understanding is that the vessel remains held at Le Havre at least until the hearing takes place tomorrow (Wednesday)."


Sources at the environment department told the BBC the boat's impoundment is viewed as a "routine enforcement action" by the French and is not connected to the wider fishing row, so is unlikely to be raised as part of negotiations on licences.

However, last week Ms Girardin said standard checks on British vessels had been undertaken against "the backdrop of the tightening of controls in the Channel, in the context of discussions on licences with the United Kingdom and the European Commission".

She added that the trawler had been fishing in the Bay of Seine without the proper licences.

Macduff Shellfish has said the boat had a licence to fish in EU waters earlier this year and that it did not yet understand why the vessel had been removed from the authorised list.

It added that the cost of allowing the vessel to return to the UK would be decided at the court hearing in Rouen on Wednesday morning.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×