Head of the Jersey Fishermen’s Association, Don Thompson, said: “It was inevitable that the French would kick-off.
“But the reaction we’re seeing from France is almost like something you would see from Iran or Russia.
“They’re not just saying they can cut off the electricity supply, French fishermen are saying that they’re coming tomorrow [Thursday] to blockade the harbour in time to stop the ferries from coming in so there’ll be no food supply and no fuel coming into the island either. So it comes pretty close to an act of war, this.”
Mr Thompson defended Jersey’s new licensing system, saying the old treaty was flawed and this one will allow them to manage their waters and prioritise sustainability.
He said: “[The Granville Bay treaty] gave the French the authority to write their own access permits for waters, and consequently we’ve seen a decline in the primary shellfish stocks.”
