Fishing line: Prime minister fears violation of EU-UK trade agreement

Boris Johnson fears that the EU-UK trade agreement may have been breached in a dispute with France over post-Brexit fishing rights.

It comes after France said it could stop British ships from disembarking in its ports if the licensing dispute wasn’t resolved.

The prime minister said the UK government “will do whatever it takes to secure UK interests”.

Previously, the French ambassador was summoned for a meeting at the Foreign Ministry for the queue.

Johnson said: “British fishermen should be confident that they are doing their legal business and should be encouraged to continue fishing in accordance with the [EU-UK trade] agreement.

“France is one of our oldest and closest allies and friends. The bonds that bind us are much stronger than the turbulence that currently exists in the relationship,” he told reporters on Friday evening.

France was angered by the UK and Jersey’s decision last month to deny licenses to French boats to fish in UK waters. He argued that it was a violation of the Brexit agreement.

The country has therefore warned that next week it will prevent British boats from landing their catch in some French ports and will step up checks on British boats and trucks if the dispute is not resolved by Tuesday.

On Friday morning, Environment Secretary George Eustice said the UK would respond if needed, saying “two can play that game”.

The government also said it is considering initiating “dispute resolution procedures” with the EU if France proceeds with “unwarranted measures”.

French Ambassador Catherine Colonna was summoned to the Foreign Office to be informed of the “disappointing and disproportionate threats against the UK and the Channel Islands,” the government added. She left the Whitehall building 20 minutes after she arrived.

Fishing was one of the last sticking points in the post-Brexit trade deal.

Under the agreement, licenses would be granted to vessels that could prove that they had fished in each other’s waters for years. But there has been controversy over how much evidence is needed.