UK will be unable to protect waters after Brexit, Ex-Navy chief warns after French and British fishermen clash in 'scallop war'

A former Navy chief has said the UK’s lack of ships available to patrol waters after a “scallop war” broke out between French and British fishermen will be “disastrous” after Brexit.

Ex-First Sea Lord, Labour's Lord West of Spithead, said Britain has “insufficient ships” to deal with clashes on open water and added that the co-ordination of the "few" available is "fragmented”.

The long-running dispute in the English Channel is over a scallop-rich part of the area French fishermen are prevented from harvesting due to domestic environmental laws.

Rocks, smoke bombs and other missiles are reported to have been hurled at English and Scottish vessels during the confrontation in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Lord West said: "It is clear that we have insufficient ships to patrol the United Kingdom's territorial seas and our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

"Co-ordination of the few ships we do have is fragmented.

"In theory, co-ordination is exercised by the co-located Joint Maritime Operations Command Centre.

"But this command centre lacks a single commander with authority to order government departments to take action, and therefore is unable to exercise proper command.

"After Brexit, this will be disastrous."

When Britain leaves the bloc, it will be responsible for patrolling its EEZ.

The scallop-rich waters of the Baie de Seine are a source of tension due to differing restrictions on what British and French fishermen can do there.

British sailors described being “scared for their lives” during the clash.

With one saying: “"I've never had anything like it before. It was an absolute nightmare.”

French authorities try to preserve scallop stocks by banning their ships from fishing in the region over the summer, a measure that ends on October 1.

This law does not apply to the British, however - who anger the French mariners by harvesting scallops during this window.

The EU's Common Fisheries Policy allows any member state with a registered fleet - including Britain - "equal access" to EU waters more than 12 nautical miles off the shore of other countries.

The Baie de Seine stretches from the coast of Normandy to considerably beyond the 12 nautical miles, meaning British boats can access it.

Additional reporting by Press Association.