ST MALO France (Reuters – French fishermen have blocked the ‘Normandy Trader” boat from the country’s Port of St Malo. They were protesting the post-Brexit issue of fishing licenses.

As they began their protest in St Malo with red flares, fishermen set off fireworks. This will be followed by a blockade planned by French fishermen at the Channel Tunnel in Calais and later Friday. The protest was in response to Britain not issuing them more fishing licenses after Brexit.

After Britain left the European Union in May, the dispute broke out. Paris claimed that London should have given more French vessels licences for fishing in British waters. Britain claims it respects the post-Brexit agreements.

Tension flared after France briefly took a British fishing boat from its waters. The two countries then sent their maritime vessels to waters near Jersey, an English Channel island.

France and Britain disagree on whether licences should be issued to allow fishing within territorial waters 6-12 nautical miles of Britain’s coasts. The same applies to Jersey, which is a Crown Dependency under the English Channel.