UK can fish all-year-round… but France is restricted… certainly sounds like grounds for a fisticuffs…
It does seem odd that the rules for fishing by each country’s boats are so different.
On the face of it, I can understand the French fishermen’s anger…
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The rules are different round the IoM.
I can well understand the French being upset.
The rules are the rules. They have been internationally negotiated.
If Brexit happens then the fishing agreement will come to an end and the french can have all the scallops they want.
British fishermen are similarly disadvantaged by Spanish boats, but have not resorted to violence.
This is shameful behaviour at sea and should be deplored and those responsible prosecuted.
Mmm… I think the Rules need checking… it seems crazy…
If the scallops are not allowed a few months in which to thrive, … there will be nothing for anybody to fish for…
I’m sure I read somewhere that over-fishing (in general) is killing the industry…
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One of the Scottish Ports I supervised was prominent in the scallop fishing industry, illegal landings were made there regularly, undersize and out of season catches, sadly, not the most ‘far sighted’, many, (but not all) fishermen!
The law is there to protect those who abide by it. Those who break it should face the consequences.
The scenes look like anarchy to me, which is what you get when people ignore the law.
Which law?
Hi, that’s one of the consequences of the superficial report from the BBC. It seeks to raise the issue but provides little information to inform the consumer. The inherent message is that the French and British have law which they must abide by. Its incumbent on the story teller to provide that information but the beeb rarely does in the modern age. The great unwashed lose interest if there are too many words.
@Bill - you are a sailor aren’t you Bill - are there any maritime laws which prohibit activity likely to endanger ships at sea?
I must be one of the great unwashed because I found the news item comprehensive. It also seems to highlight the lie that British fishermen have their hands tied by EU legislation, it would appear to me that the EU rules are pretty loose if the UK can allow fishing as and when it likes.
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David whats important here is that whilst the conflict between the two fishing fleets might lead to a review of legislation - individuals can’t take the matter into their own hands. I don’t like it when cars use a bus lane but its not for me to dispense my view of “justice” by driving my car into them. This is also why we frown upon lynchings.
Hopefully the French protest will result in discussions to sort the strange situation out, hopefully in a way that will ensure good crops for scallop trawlers into the future.
My sympathy is with the French on this one, greed being the cause of the contention, the West Coast UK has been ‘raped’ for too long, nothing left, so let’s go do the same to Normandy, UK fishermen are not well known for being, conservators 
I thought it might be, how then do the French explain that their quota is twice that of the UK?
Because John, there it’s called, “La Manche” 
Ahem, The English Channel!
No, no John, la Manche, that’s what I’m keeping saying to Bill 
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Exactly the English Channel! Send in the Royal Navy to sort them out & protect our fishermen legally going about their business !
Good God, the French are a boisterous bunch, often blocking ports, motorways & burning tires in the process, dumping offal & edible produce onto Super Market forecourts & burning more tires, rail strikes, haulage companies blocking petrol refineries & burning more tires, haulage companies striking blocking motorway access & burning more tires, Farmers causing mayhem by blocking the motorway access. And now French Fishermen stoning British fishing boats. Just what will they think of next? (I say all this with tongue in cheek) but I imagine how the British press are going to portray all this. & maybe they will not necessarily only print propaganda a few truths may come to light.
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