2018-08-29

Negative Social Mood in Europe: Scallop Wars Resume

A foretaste of what could become regular occurrences if social mood sinks and international conflict, rather than civil, becomes an outlet for anger.
CBS: Drama on high seas as France-U.K. "Scallop Wars" escalate
Stone-throwing, insults and dangerous manoeuvres on the high seas: French and British fishermen clashed in the English Channel over a hoard of scallops Tuesday, the latest flare-up in a years-long war over the prized shellfish. The British were heavily outnumbered at five boats to around 35 French vessels, according to maritime official Ingrid Parot, and were eventually chased from the scallop-rich waters of the Baie de Seine area of Normandy.

The skirmish took place more than 12 nautical miles out to sea where the British are legally allowed to fish all year round.

But their French counterparts, restricted to fishing for scallops between October 1 and May 15, have accused the British of depleting stocks and want them to face the same rules.

"The French went to contact the British to stop them working and they clashed with each other. Apparently there was stone-throwing, but no injuries," said Normandy fishing chief Dimitri Rogoff.

Rogoff said "around 40" French boats had gathered overnight in protest at British "pillaging" of the scallop supply.
FT: What caused the ‘scallop war’ in the English Channel?
According to Agence France-Presse, the French fishermen were protesting against what they see as British overfishing of the prized Normandy scallops known as “coquille Saint-Jacques”.

The large molluscs are considered such a delicacy in France that local media outlets often report the first day they will be on sale. The scallops are sold in France with a red label that verifies them as being “the real Saint Jacques” from the waters off the coast of Normandy, Scotland or Ireland.

But French and British fisherman are bound by different rules when it comes to harvesting in the Channel.

French fisherman are only permitted to harvest the molluscs between October 1 and May 15, beyond a 12-nautical-mile exclusion zone off the coast, in accordance with environmental rules designed to maximise breeding.

British fishermen do not operate under the same restrictions, but generally agree not to raid the scallop stocks when the French are restricted from doing so.
There was another skirmish in 2012.

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