Britain withdrew its Royal Navy vessels from the waters off Jersey on Thursday but said it would remain on standby to support the Channel island after a dispute with France over post-Brexit fishing rights escalated rapidly.
France and Britain both deployed maritime patrol vessels to the area after a flotilla of French trawlers sailed in protest to Jersey’s main harbour and a French minister suggested earlier in the week that Paris might cut electricity to the island.
French fishermen say they are being unfairly deprived of access to rich fishing grounds off the coast of Jersey, a self-governing British Crown Dependency.
Jersey says it is following the rules for issuing licenses set out in Britain’s post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union. Britain said it backed Jersey. The EU called for calm.
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