France detains UK boat as fishing rights row intensifies

London: Amid ongoing dispute over fishing rights, authorities in France has detained a British boat and given a verbal warning to another fishing boat in waters off its coast, the French government said.

It is the latest twist of intensifying dispute between Britain and France over fishing rights.

According to the French maritime ministry, two boats were fined late last night (Wednesday) after one failed to comply with checks by police and the other was found not to hold a proper licence.

The checks had been carried out by authorities on boats in the Baie de Seine, near Le Havre, in the north of the country.

One trawler was fined for obstructing checks after it initially refused a request to be boarded by police, the statement said.

The ministry said the second boat was not on a list of UK vessels with licences granted by the European Commission and France.

However, the boat was then ordered to divert to Le Havre.

Moreover, France had warned that it would block UK boats from some ports next week - as well as tightening checks on UK boats and trucks - if a post-Brexit dispute over fishing licences was not resolved by November 2.

Meanwhile, the UK said that threats by France were "disproportionate" and a breach of international law and trade agreements.