Trawlermen who were pelted with rocks and flares yesterday say they will return to the water later this week as the PM wades in to the row
BRIT fishermen today accused the French of terrorism after a ferocious sea battle over scallops — but defiantly vowed to return to the English Channel.
Around 40 French trawlers crowded five British vessels yesterday — throwing flares and slamming into hulls in a bitter dispute over fishing rights.
One British scallop trawler said the actions of his Channel rivals equated to terrorism.
Derek Meridith, who owns two boats involved in the dispute, said: "They need to stop taking the law into their own hands. It's terrorism.
"If we done it in this country we would be locked up as terrorists."
South East Cornwall Tory MP Sheryl Murray - whose late husband was killed in a fishing accident at sea - dubbed the French attacks as "thuggery".
She said: "This is just unfair. British boats are doing nothing wrong and yet we are seeing this sort of thuggery from their French counterparts."
Theresa May also waded in to the row, saying: "I think it's important we see an amicable solution to what has happened in the Channel.
"It's what we want and it's what France wants and we will be working on that."
Today brave Brit fishermen assessed their battered boats as it was revealed that tensions could get even worse.
There are claims that the French are now targeting British crabs off the Cornish coast as they step up their attacks on our fishing industry.
But trawlermen said that the latest clashes would not stop them from taking to the Channel again later this week.
Skipper Nathan Clark, whose ship Joanna C was pelted with rocks, said: "It won't stop us. We'll take a few days off but we'll go back out there again."
Photos show dented hulls and smashed windows on three British ships involved in the tense standoff yesterday.
The British trawlers were attacked by French vessels more than 12 nautical miles off the French coast in the early hours of yesterday morning.
They had been legally fishing for scallops in an area of water that the French are temporarily banned from hunting in.
Speaking at Brixham Harbour in Devon, Mr Clark told how the "nerve-wracking" clash left his crewmates terrified — including his teen nephew who was on board.
Mr Clark said: "It was 3.30am in the dark and we were being pelted and rammed."
Nephew Callum, 17, was "petrified" as he took cover from debris being thrown at them by angry French trawlermen.
Nathan added: "It's his first year on the boats and he was scared for his life.
"I've never had anything like it before. It was an absolute nightmare.
"Luckily the boat only had superficial damage but we're all shook up."
Honeybourne 111, moored up in Shoreham, Kent, was seen with severe dents to its hull today.
And Robert Morley and Kieran McKimmey began work to repair a window smashed by a rock thrown by a fuming French sailor at Golden Promise, also in Brixham.
Brian Whittington, skipper of Golden Promise, called for protection from the Royal Navy.
He said today: "It was scary - I've never experienced anything like it. Shackles, flares, rocks were being thrown.
"We always fish with the Joanna C but we're a bigger boat and I was scared for them.
"It won't stop us - we'll go back. It's international waters - we're allowed there.
"Maybe the Royal Navy could help us next time."
Footage emerged last night appearing to show one British vessel on fire after allegedly being struck with a petrol bomb or flare during the harrowing seaborne battle.
Another shocking video shows a Brit fishing boat ramming a French vessel after it dangerously cut across its path.
Meanwhile crews in Newquay, Cornwall, claim thousands of pounds worth of pots used to lure and catch crabs have gone missing.
They say trawlers from France are trying to stake their claim over vast swathes of English waters — and are using dirty tricks to force out competition.
Martin Gilbert, one of the Newquay-based fishermen, today said French trawlers are pulling dirty tricks on their British counterparts.
He said French fishermen "dragged our pots out of the way so they can put out their nets".
This allowed crabs caught in the pots to escape before they could be hauled in.
It also meant the British fishing crews face having to buy replacement pots or risk losing their livelihood.
They are now trying to locate the missing pots — which they believe are lying scattered over the seabed.
Mr Gilbert, who owns the 33ft Serene, said he has lost 50 crab pots worth £3,000.
He claimed about ten French trawlers turned up to fish around the Newquay coastline and broke a "gentlemen's agreement" to stay away from each other's equipment.
Fishermen from other Cornwall and Devon ports, including Padstow, have also allegedly suffered at the hands of the French trawlers.
Mr Gilbert added: "Three boats in Newquay have been clobbered and a Padstow boat had 150 crab pots dragged away.
"Those responsible are big 85ft French company boats who have no regard for anyone else in the ocean.
"The French trawlers have dragged the pots so far away we cannot find them as they cut the buoys off.
"Unfortunately it happens when we are not at sea during the night and when it’s windy.
"It is getting worse year on year. We are losing more and more pots to French trawlers who are coming this way.
"It is getting beyond a joke. It is making a bad year even worse - because of the cold spell the crabs have not come. Fishing is down 30 per cent."
BRITAIN'S historic right to fish in its own waters were dealt a crippling blow after the bitter Cod Wars with Iceland.
The Cod Wars were a series of skirmishes over the post-war period that concluded with Iceland being granted exclusive fishing rights over a 200-nautical-mile zone.
A 1976 agreement meant British fishing communities lost access to rich areas and were left devastated — with thousands of jobs lost.
Such was the animosity between Icelandic and British fisherment that a Icelandic engineer died when his ship was rammed in August 1973.
Another Newquay fisherman, Phil Trebilcock, added: "Several French trawlers turned up and caused problems for Newquay boats and a Padstow boat.
"Pots are missing and it is time consuming trying to retrieve them from the bottom - if they are there."
Last night French fishermen were accused of "piracy" after the English Channel assault.
One fishing boat owner from Brixham said: "There were about 40 boats. One boat got petrol bombed, others had windows smashed. I can't believe that someone wasn't killed."
French boats only have the right to fish for scallops from October 1 until May 15 to allow local stocks to regenerate — but the British do not face the same restrictions.
Jim Portus of the South West Fish Producers Organisation: "What happened was the equivalent of piracy from the French.
"They decided to dangerously take matters into their own hands.
"Forty of their boats surrounded just five of ours and the French broke all maritime regulations."
He later called for an urgent meeting in France to discuss the latest bout of violence.
Dimitri Rogoff, chairman of the French Regional Fisheries’ Committee, described the action a “rush of blood to the head”.
But he told that the tension was down to British vessels fishing in "historically French waters".
Earlier, Mrs Murray urged Environment Secretary Michael Gove to raise the issue with his French counterpart.
She told the Press Association: "It is totally unacceptable when British boats are doing nothing wrong, they are allowed to fish there.
"It seems as though the French fisherman just took the law into their own hands."
A Government spokesman said: "We are aware of reports of aggression directed towards UK fishing vessels in an area of the English Channel not under UK control.
"These vessels were operating in an area they are legally entitled to fish.
"The safety of the UK fleet is our highest priority and we will continue to monitor the presence and activities of vessels in the area.
"We are in contact with industry and the French administration to encourage meaningful dialogue and prevent further incidents from occurring."
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