THE wrangle between Guernsey and Jersey over fishing rights must look strange to outsiders. ‘It can’t look good, I’d imagine, to an outsider that it has come to this,’ said Commerce and Employment minister Stuart Falla.

His view was shared by Jersey’s Economic Develop-ment minister, Philip Ozouf.

‘I don’t think that it’s good for either jurisdiction that we’re seen by third parties effectively on an inter-island issue in ultimately what’s regarded as a UK court, moreover the highest court in the UK,’ he said.

Deputy Falla was disappointed that Jersey and UK fishermen had taken the action as far as the Privy Council.

‘The biggest risk for whatever reason is that the ability for us to continue to govern ourselves effectively is changed by whatever result comes out of the court case,’ he said.

‘There’s a risk – and a risk to both islands.’

Many meetings had been held in an attempt to overcome the problem with Jersey, he said.

‘But that still wouldn’t have resolved the issues with the English fishermen who want to bring very big boats into our waters and take a lot of fish away. That would have caused great damage to our ability to manage our stocks,’ said Deputy Falla.

How the island licences Jersey and UK commercial fishermen in the three- to 12- mile limit has already been heard by the Royal Court and Guernsey Court of Appeal.

Senator Ozouf said added it would be inappropriate to comment specifically on the case.

‘I hope the issue is resolved in one way or another,’ he said.

‘Irrespective of the outcome when it comes, which will be the definitive answer, we will still need as the Channel Islands and neighbours to have a fish management agreement for Jersey fishermen in Guernsey waters, so we still need to talk.’

Jersey has been open to negotiation in the last few weeks, said Senator Ozouf.

‘We were willing to find a consensus to avoid the situation but differences in how the Guernsey administration works meant that it wasn’t possible,. That’s a shame,’ he added.

‘The quicker issues in Guernsey are resolved as far as the Policy Council involvement the better so we can get on and resolve these problems. We can’t continue the situation where long-running issues, in my view, cast a shadow over Channel Island relations.’