France impounds UK vessel accused of illegal fishing

A British fishing vessel has been impounded by the French authorities, accused of illegally fishing in their waters.

It was seized in the English Channel and is being held at the port of Boulogne, unable to leave while the French authorities consider bringing a prosecution.

The vessel was stopped at sea by the French Navy on Thursday night, with its crew alleged to have been fishing in French waters without a licence.

The incident comes days after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was criticised by British fishermen over his reset deal with the European Union, which gives EU fishing vessels access to UK waters for 12 more years.

The Foreign Office said it was offering support to a British national in France and was in touch with local authorities.

"As the vessel remains subject to an ongoing investigation by French fisheries authorities, we are unable to comment further at this time," a government spokesperson added.

According to the French Coastguard, the navy patrol vessel Pluvier was conducting inspections in their waters overnight on 23 May, finding the British vessel to have been allegedly operating without a licence.

The fishing vessel was diverted to Boulogne "for the purpose of initiating prosecution".

The Conservatives accused the French authorities of "shameful double standards" over the arrest.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said they had failed to stop thousands of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats, accusing France of "taking no action whatsoever at sea and often ushering the illegal immigrants into UK waters".

"Yet when a UK fishing vessel is in French waters all of a sudden they are magically able to act. If the French can now intercept boats then they should start stopping the boats with illegal immigrants - as international law obliges them to do."

The UK and the EU have struck a deal that covers fishing, trade, defence, energy and strengthening ties in a number of policy areas still up for negotiation.

A key part of the deal involves giving European fishing boats a further 12 years of access to British waters in exchange for easing some trade frictions.

Critics from the Conservatives and Reform UK described the deal as a "surrender" to the EU, while the Liberal Democrats said the government had taken some "positive first steps" to rebuilding ties with Europe.