French fishermen disrupt UK trade routes over fishing licence row

French fishermen block the 'Normandy Trader' boat at the entrance of the port of Saint-Malo as they started a day of protests to mark their anger over the issue of post-Brexit fishing licenses, in Saint-Malo, France, November 26, 2021. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

CALAIS, France (Reuters) -French fishermen temporarily blockaded the port of Calais and Channel Tunnel rail link in an effort to disrupt trade between Britain and the continent on Friday, escalating a row over licences to fish in British waters.

Fishing rights plagued Brexit talks for years, not because of their economic importance but because of their political significance for both President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.