Sun, 25 May 2025

Sun, 25 May 2025 France impounds UK vessel accused of illegal fishing

The British ship is diverted to the port of Boulogne after being stopped by a French patrol boat.
A British fishing vessel was impounded by French authorities on Thursday night, accused of illegally fishing in their waters without a licence. The vessel, stopped by the French Navy in the English Channel, is being held at the port of Boulogne while the authorities consider prosecution. According to reports, the Pluvier patrol vessel conducted inspections overnight on May 23 and found the British vessel operating without a permit. The crew was allegedly fishing in French waters. The impounding has raised tensions between Britain and France, with some politicians accusing the French of double standards for allowing thousands of migrants to cross the Channel into UK waters while intercepting a single British fishing boat. The incident comes amid criticism from British fishermen over the government's deal with the EU, which grants European fishing vessels access to UK waters for 12 more years in exchange for easing trade frictions.
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