LE HAVRE: The British trawler impounded for a week by France in a deepening dispute over fishing rights sailed on Wednesday from the French northern port of Le Havre after receiving permission to leave, a day ahead of crunch talks aimed at resolving the standoff .

The Cornelis Gert Jan, which is accused of gathering two tons of scallops in French waters without a proper licence, left the port just after 1700 GMT, the correspondent said.

The lawyer for the ship’s captain, Mathieu Croix, said a court in the nearby city of Rouen had allowed it to leave without posting any financial guarantee.

He said that the court had rejected the state’s demand that the trawler remain impounded until a 150,000 euro ($175,000) bond was deposited. The vessel’s captain Jondy Ward was present in court for the hearing.

“It is a good decision, of a kind that will allow the tensions to drop,” said the lawyer. “French justice is independent from political pressure,” he added.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2021