French court frees impounded British trawler
FILE PHOTO: A British trawler Cornelis Gert Jan is seen moored in the port of Le Havre, after France seized on Thursday a British trawler fishing in its territorial waters without a licence, in Le Havre, France, October 29, 2021. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo
PARIS: A French court ruled on Wednesday that a British trawler impounded by French authorities could sail for home, overturning an earlier demand that its captain pay a €150,000 (US$174,000) deposit, a lawyer for the captain said.
The Cornelis Gert Jan was seized last week, with French authorities saying it had been caught fishing for scallops in French territorial waters without a proper licence.
The lawyer for the Irish captain, Jondy Ward, said earlier the vessel was a pawn in a wider political row between Paris and London over fishing rights after Britain's departure from the European Union.
Ship tracking website marinetraffic.com showed the vessel was still moored in the French port of Le Havre, where it was impounded. Its declared destination was listed on the site as "FREEDOMMMM".
