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The French gendarmerie with the detained fishing boat in Le Havre
Photo: SARAH MEYSSONNIER / REUTERS
Britain has rejected the detention of a British fishing boat by French authorities as "disproportionate".
The country adheres to the rules of the Brexit agreement, said a government spokesman.
There will now be further talks with France and the EU about why the fishing boat was arrested.
"We will continue to seek clarity and have these discussions before deciding what the appropriate response is," the spokesman said.
The British government had already reacted on Wednesday to France's new and tough course in the fisheries dispute.
The French threats are "disappointing and disproportionate and not what one would expect from a close ally and partner."
France threatens to stop electricity supplies
France had verbally warned two British boats fishing in the waters off the port of Le Havre on Thursday night.
Due to a lack of licenses, one of the boats was stopped and escorted to a port, now the judiciary is taking over the case.
In addition, the captain must fear the confiscation of his catch.
A few hours earlier, France had issued stricter regulations. From November 2nd, British fishing boats will no longer be allowed to dock at certain French ports. In addition, France will systematically check the safety of British boats in the future. Trucks driving from France to Great Britain or in the opposite direction should therefore also be checked more closely. A second wave of sanctions could follow later. It is also not ruled out that the French electricity supplies to the island are fundamentally reconsidered.
The background to the dispute is the implementation of the Brexit agreement.
It stipulates that European fishermen can continue to fish in British waters - but only if they are given permission to do so.
The issue of the permit, in turn, depends on the fishermen being able to prove that they have previously worked in the areas in question.
Paris complains that the British authorities are not granting enough permits to French fishermen.
Dispute over licenses
France's Fisheries Minister Girardin said on Thursday on RTL that the dispute was “not a war”, but “a fight”.
"The French fishermen have rights," she said.
"An agreement has been signed," she added, rejecting British claims that 98 percent of the licenses required by EU fishermen had been granted.
This was "wrong," said Girardin.
"The Europeans asked for 2127 licenses, the British gave in 1913, that is 90 percent." And among those who had not received a license, with the exception of one or two cases from Belgium, were French, said the minister.
At the center of the dispute is the six to twelve mile zone off the British coast of Great Britain, which also includes the Channel Islands, which belong to the British.
In the disputed waters, the authorities have so far issued 210 fishing licenses.
Paris calls for more than 200 more.
slü / AFP / Reuters