French fishermen to disrupt Channel trade on Friday

French fishermen will block ferry traffic into three Channel ports and the movement of goods through the rail tunnel between France and the UK on Friday in protest over post-Brexit fishing rights, a union said.

Describing the action as a "warning shot", French national fisheries committee (CNPMEM) chairman Gerard Romiti said ferry traffic would be blocked at the ports of Saint-Malo, Ouistreham and Calais as well as freight traffic into the Channel Tunnel for several hours.

The months-long dispute between Britain and France over the number of licences for UK waters handed to French vessels remains unresolved and has threatened to turn into a full-scale trade war.

"We don't want handouts, we just want our licenses back. The UK must abide by the post-Brexit deal. Too many fishermen are still in the dark," said Romiti.

"The patience of professionals has limits. We hope this warning shot will be heard," he said, refusing to rule out further actions in the future.

A spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was "disappointed by threats of protest activity", adding that it was "a matter for the French to ensure that there are no illegal actions and that trade is not affected." 

Britain has been struggling with major supply problems due to post-Brexit trade disruption and a lack of qualified truck drivers, resulting in fuel shortages and worries about shortages at Christmas.

The UK is highly dependent on French ports, particularly for fresh food imports, and any extended blockade would have the potential to cause significant costs.

The action by French fishermen comes with relations between the two neighbours at their lowest point in decades and a day after a dinghy carrying migrants sank in the Channel, claiming 27 lives.