A BRITISH fishing boat has been seized by French authorities after allegedly being caught “whelking without a licence” – in the English Channel.
The Lady T., which is based in Eastbourne, East Sussex, was being held in Boulogne-sur-Mer on Saturday, and now risks being confiscated.
GettyYellow British fishing boat trawler alone in the English channel (stock)[/caption]
AlamyThe Flamant class French offshore patrol vessel FS PLUVIER caught the small Lady T.[/caption]
AFPIt comes mere days after Keir Starmer surrendered British fishing waters for another 12 years[/caption]
It comes mere days after Keir Starmer surrendered British fishing waters for another 12 years after being reeled in by a classic EU ambush.
France’s Martime Prefecture said: “On Thursday, May 22, the French Navy’s public service patrol vessel, the Pluvier, conducted a fishing inspection in the French Exclusive Economic Zone, off the Somme Bay.”
They said that during the scan “a British fishing vessel was inspected by sailors from the Navy patrol vessel while fishing without a license in French waters”.
The Brit boat was captured by French Navy ship the Pluvier on Thursday.
The catamaran’s skipper now faces prosecution for fishing for whelks without a license.
The Martime Prefecture added: “As the offence was proved, the fishing vessel was diverted during the night of May 23rd to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer.”
The authorities also boasted: “This operation demonstrates the vigilance of State services in protecting fisheries resources and their determination to enforce regulations.
“It sends a clear signal to those who might be tempted to fish illegally in French waters.”
On the day it was caught, the Lady T. was moored behind the Bassin Loubet fish market in Boulogne.
Her skipper refused to give his name.
He said: “I have nothing to say to you, I won’t answer.”
The 32ft (10m) long Lady T. is now forbidden to leave the port until further notice.
It comes after another Brit vessel was intercepted and detained in French waters last Saturday, just hours before Starmer was accused of “surrendering” to the EU over fishing rights.
The Francesca TO 80, which is registered in Truro, Cornwall, was spotted 30 nautical miles off the island of Batz, off Roscoff, Brittany.
She was then escorted to the port of Brest after inspectors suspected the crew of unlicensed fishing in French waters.
This also constituted an alleged offence under the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code.
The Prime Minister’s recent Brexit reset deal has been panned as a humiliating surrender.
The accused Europhile was said to have been done up like a kipper following the agreement.
The EU made a late demand for 12 more years of French and Spanish trawlers plundering Brit waters.
The PM caved in hook, line and stinker to ensure key Eurocrats came to his “landmark summit” in London to agree the deal.
The agreement also means young Europeans can study, work or just sightsee in the UK via a “Youth experience scheme”, with a possible 80million eligible.
The access to fishing grounds was blasted by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
He feared the end of the fishing industry while Deputy Richard Tice said “the white flag has been waved outside Downing Street”.
Boris Johnson called his Starmer an “orange ball-chewing manacled gimp of Brussels”.
GettyKeir Starmer and Ursula von der Leyen at the UK-EU summit on May 19[/caption]
GettyThe Brit vessel was diverted during the night to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer[/caption]
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