British Minister In France For Talks On Fishing Row

Britain's Brexit minister was to hold talks in the French capital Thursday on the fishing rights crisis that has further strained already tense relations between London and Paris.

The meeting comes a day after a French court released a British trawler impounded for a week in the dispute, amid signs from both sides of renewed interest in a negotiated solution to stave off a trade war.

Brexit minister David Frost will sit down with French Europe Minister Clement Beaune.

A close ally of President Emmanuel Macron, Beaune is vocal in his belief that France should not pay for what he sees as Britain's mistake of leaving the EU.

Their meeting is set to be held behind closed doors and no press conference is planned, although Beaune's office has promised a telephone briefing afterwards.

"We are looking forward to a good discussion with our French colleagues," Frost told ITV news before boarding his train to Paris.

"We will see where that takes us. We are always hopeful of making progress but we will see where we get to."

French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said there would also be a European Commission meeting on the issue during a visit by Frost on Friday, but this is yet to be confirmed by Brussels.

On Wednesday evening, the impounded trawler, the Cornelis Gert Jan, left the French northern port of Le Havre after receiving permission to leave, an AFP correspondent said.

Its captain, Jondy Ward, still faces charges of gathering two tons of scallops in French waters without a proper licence.

But the lawyer for the ship's captain, Mathieu Croix, told AFP a court in the nearby city of Rouen had allowed it to leave without posting any financial guarantee.

The court rejected the state's demand that the trawler remain impounded until a 150,000-euro ($175,000) bond had been deposited, he said.

"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.

The captain still faces a trial in Le Havre on August 11, 2022 on charges of non-authorised fishing in French waters by a boat from outside the European Union, which carry a maximum fine of 75,000 euros ($87,000).

The dispute over post-Brexit fishing rights has strained already troubled relations between Paris and London following Britain's exit from the European Union and has threatened to escalate into a full-blown trade war.

While British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday made it clear that London's position had not changed there are signs both sides favour diplomacy to avoid the situation worsening.

Attal emphasised that "all options were on the table" even after Macron put off implementing trade sanctions to give the talks a chance.

France has threatened to ban British boats from unloading their catches at French ports and to subject all British imports to inspections.

Officials have also raised the prospect of decreasing power supplies to the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey, crown dependencies which are not part of the UK but which depend on London for their security.

"We are happy the French government withdrew its threats on Monday, that has created space for these discussions," said Frost.

Under a deal agreed by Britain and the EU late last year, European fishing vessels can continue to ply UK waters if they can prove they operated there in the past.

But Paris says dozens of French boats have had their applications to fish the UK's rich waters rejected.

The total volumes affected are tiny in terms of overall France-UK bilateral trade.

But analysts say Macron is keen to take a hard line against Johnson as he eyes re-election in 2022 polls while the British premier is also keen to talk tough in the wake of Brexit.

In the run-up to the talks, Frost tweeted official UK figures which London maintains show almost all licences requested by French fishing vessels have been issued, contrary to statements by French officials.