27 January 2021
The Minister for External Relations and the Minister for the Environment have issued the following statement:
On Monday 25 January, the EU Fisheries Commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevicius, and Jersey's External Relations Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, confirmed the political commitment of the European Commission and the Government of Jersey to formalise transitional arrangements for EU vessels fishing in Jersey waters.
The transitional arrangements formalise an amnesty period in which those vessels that had held Granville Bay Area permits to fish Jersey waters before the provisional application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), will continue to have access to Jersey waters until the end of April 2021.
The details of these transitional arrangements will now be confirmed in writing, once they have been finalised by the UK, EU and Jersey. Meanwhile, the historic data needed to enable full TCA permits to be issued, as soon as possible, to qualifying vessels will be collected and transmitted to the relevant authorities.
The Minister for the Environment, Deputy John Young, said: "I am pleased we have been able to confirm that our plans for an amnesty period have the support of our partners. I believe that this solution would provide a workable transition to the new agreement, as well as reassurance for our closest EU neighbours in France, who have traditionally fished in our waters for many years.
"Our officers continue their work to process and issue the Jersey licences to qualifying vessels, as required by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. It is important that we imnplement these new arrangements as soon as possible to ensure a sustainable future for our fishery and local fleet."
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