That Fishing Row

 So, the true stories surrounding the fishing row with France are now coming to light, finally.

1. Contrary to the British government's insistence, the British vessel impounded by French authorities did not have a licence - for some reason its name was withdrawn from the list presented to the French. 
2. The French fishing boats barred from fishing in Channel Islands waters cannot prove they have historically fished there - they're too small to have to carry Automatic Identification System equipment, which tracks their position and could prove their claim, as it does for larger vessels. Catch landings are not proof, as the fish were landed in France and could have been caught anywhere.
3. Jean Castex did not, as the Express suggested, ask the EU to punish the UK, merely that they ensure the UK sticks to the agreement.

So, the British government was wrong that the British fishing vessel had a licence; The French didn't ensure small fishing boats without AIS would be catered for within the agreement and the Express is just doing what the Express does best, making things up.

In respect of the British vessel, it could be as simple as the vessel owners having replaced another vessel with the one in question (the name Cornelis Gert Jan is a bit of a give-away - she was originally Dutch and operated by a Dutch company), without changing its name to that of the the initial vessel that was licenced, hence its name doesn't appear on the list. The French were only exercising their territorial sovereignty, which should appeal to the British government. Someone in the government should have checked before going apoplectic. A simple name change will solve the issue.

With regard to the French vessels not given a licence, the French were negligent in the initial negotiations and never foresaw this issue; however, it's a couple of dozen very small, one or two men boats that will make hardly any impact on the Channel Islands' stocks. An accommodation should be made in the interests of co-operation, not escalation and threats. Perhaps a number of licences should be issued to smaller vessels, subject to them henceforth carrying AIS equipment.

As for the Express, it's rabidly anti-EU and pro-Johnson, and doesn't mind bending truth to persuade its readers that the EU is the devil incarnate and Boris is as pure as the driven snow. 

Against all this, Macron is electioneering and Boris is desperate to placate the fishermen he threw under a bus and prove, against the observable evidence, that Brexit is a plus.