Jersey fisherman vow to pelt French trawlers with rotten fruit and veg if they return

FISHERMEN plan to bombard French trawlers with rotten fruit and veg and defend their port to the last boat if they return to Jersey. Skippers fear a “summer of discontent” after 56 fishing vessels blocked St Helier on Thursday in a Brexit row over access to UK waters. They were seen off by 2,000-ton Royal […]

FISHERMEN plan to bombard French trawlers with rotten fruit and veg and defend their port to the last boat if they return to Jersey.

Skippers fear a “summer of discontent” after 56 fishing vessels blocked St Helier on Thursday in a Brexit row over access to UK waters.

 Read our Jersey stand-off live blog for the very latest updates

Tony Pike

Jersey fishermen are preparing for the French to return[/caption]

They were seen off by 2,000-ton Royal Navy gunboats HMS Tamar and HMS Severn following a six-hour blockade — but have promised to return.

Yesterday, Jersey fishermen checking their pots said they are expecting the French to be back.

Skipper Richard Le Brun forecast “months and months” of protest — with French vessels blockading mainland UK ports if they do not get their way.

He said: “If we went and protested at their ports they’d ram us or set our boats on fire.”

Skipper Paul Bizec, 59, said: “The French fishermen have started this, but we will finish it.

“We will be ready when they come into our port. It’s going to get messy, like a warzone.

“We will pelt them with frozen tomatoes and rotten fruit, they’ll be sorry they messed with us.”

Yesterday Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the French skippers had to comply with post-Brexit fishing laws.

He said: “The French are legends of protest, as long as I remember France would protest and blockade.

“Obviously Britain will do what it has to do to protect its economic activity.”