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These are my own thoughts and questions.
As I understand it,
you are asking if the agreed deal is useful for the fishing industry, as a 90 day cooling off period exists when it could be rejected. Would Jersey really consider rejecting the deal?
Just to put the situation in perspective and help consider the current deal,
A no deal Brexit had the potential to have seen all French vessels banned from fishing all Jersey waters with immediate effect.
As it is estimated that over 75% of the annual catch from Jersey waters is caught by French vessels,
this leaves 25% caught by Jersey vessels.
In this scenario, it would be reasonable to expect Jersey vessels to see an immediate increase in catches,
at least doubling, which would still only be 50% of the annual catch before Brexit, plus pay a World Trade Organisation set 8% tariff on shellfish exported into Europe.
With the increased catches the 8% tariff could easily have been absorbed.
Presently Jersey fishermen have to absorb the costs of increased administration to arrange exports, yet see no reduction of French fishing effort to increase Jersey catches.
With this deal I believe an immediate 15% reduction in French fishing effort is to be implemented,
plus another 2.5% for the next 4 years to arrive at a total of a 25% reduction in French fishing effort.
How will this be calculated?,
Is it a reduction of potential or actual fishing effort?,
eg France could have issued over 400 Bay of Granville permits for boats to fish in Jersey waters,
yet less than 100 French boats actually do. Therefore, if this is used as a base line,
reducing the potential effort/permits by 15% from 400 down to 340 and then down to 300 to reach a 25% reduction,
then no reduction in the actual French fishing effort will have been achieved?
Nor do I understand how French vessels will be able to fish in Jerseys, non-European waters without filling in the same documentation Jersey boats have to ?
When they land the fish in France it is an import into Europe of non-European fish? should they not require a Jersey health certificate and UK catch certificate?
It seems to me the prime fishing areas of all the offshore reefs must be made exclusively for Jersey vessels.
France does not share thier prime areas such as Chausey with Jersey boats.
Jersey must be able to set, implement and enforce the fishing rules on both Jersey and French vessels fishing in Jersey waters equally, such as the 12-meter vessel size limit.
This will produce a reduction in French fishing effort in Jersey waters,
along with a corresponding increase in expected catches for Jersey fishing boats. without these changes, it is difficult to see what the benefit of this deal is?,
or we may as well have stayed in Europe?
I understand the details of the deal are still to be ironed out and I may not fully understand the situation,
but these are the questions I am asking myself.
If this deal does not produce a benefit to Jersey fishermen,
then the best way to fish Jersey waters is to relocate and become a French fisherman.
Only my thoughts, Ian Syvret.