British Ship Accused of Attacking French Trawler in English Channel, Escalating "Scallop Wars

British Ship Accused of Attacking French Trawler

The "scallop wars" have taken a dangerous turn as a British ship stands accused of attacking a French counterpart. French officials claim the British vessel deliberately cut one of the French trawler's cables on the morning of January 15th, between Brighton and Dieppe. This incident has raised concerns about a potential escalation in the conflict, fueled by a history of mutual accusations of trespassing and regulation violations.

"There have always been intimidating maneuvers. We've been warning since Brexit that there would be problems of cohabitation in the English Channel. But you don't put people's lives at risk."

Dachicourt emphasized the potential danger of the incident, stating that if the trawler had flipped over, the crew would have been lost, resulting in six fatalities. Other French officials, like Xavier Bertrand, head of the Hauts-de-France region, have labeled the events as an "exceptionally serious incident."

The Rose de Cascia is reportedly back fishing in UK waters, while the Henk Senior remains in the Dutch port of Vlissingen, according to La Voix du Nord. This incident follows a string of alleged attacks, including boats ramming each other and fishermen throwing rocks and projectiles.

Previous conflicts in 2014 and 2010 stemmed from the disparity in fishing regulations. British scallopers were allowed to fish year-round, while the French were restricted between May and October. In 2021, French fishing boats briefly blockaded Jersey to protest the loss of fishing licenses post-Brexit. The recent attack on the Rose de Cascia further exacerbates the already tense situation in the English Channel.