UK and France end scallop wars

The United Kingdom and France have reached a peace deal over the scallop wars between the two countries' fishing fleets.

The agreement that started on Tuesday means larger British boats withdraw from scallop beds off the coast of Normandy, in return for greater fishing rights elsewhere.

Under the terms of the new deal, UK scallop dredgers longer than 15meters will leave the scallop beds off the coast of Normandy, for six weeks.

In return, France will transfer fishing rights for scallops in areas such as the Irish Sea.

Smaller British boats are not restricted under the deal and can continue to fish in the Bay of Seine, where the row broke out.

Vessels from the two nations clashed over the summer in a dispute about access to fishing grounds. The French and British governments announced that a deal had been reached in early September, but those hopes were dashed last Thursday when talks broke down.

British Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food George Eustice said: "Today UK and French scallop industry representatives reached an agreement on scallop fishing in the Bay de Seine.

"This means our over-15meter fleet will get the days at sea it wanted, while allowing the under-15meter fleet to continue fishing in the area.

"I commend the UK fishing industry for its patience throughout negotiations and welcome this pragmatic outcome."

The "scallop war" underlined tensions over fishing rights in the EU - strains that could grow as Brexit negotiations continue.

French and British fishermen are bound by different rules when it comes to harvesting scallops in the English Channel.

French fishermen are only permitted to harvest the molluscs between Oct 1 and May 15, beyond a 12-nautical-mile exclusion zone off the coast, in order to maximize breeding.

British fishermen do not operate under the same restrictions, but they generally agree not to raid the scallop stocks when the French are restricted from doing so.

About 1,350 jobs depend on the 120 million pound ($157 million) UK scallop industry. About 60 percent of the catch is exported – with much of it being bought by the French.

But experts warned in 2016 that the fishing effort by France, the UK, Belgium and Ireland in the Bay of Seine was depleting stocks too fast.

An earlier attempt to broker a deal was scuppered. The UK and France had tried to reach an agreement which would see all British boats staying out of the disputed territory during the French no-fishing period.

But the parties could not agree on the compensation package for British boats, which had been free to harvest scallops there throughout the year.