Not everyone on Jersey is against the French fleet’s protest this morning.

Chris Le Masurier, who owns the Jersey Oyster Company, accused the British government of being an “absolute disgrace”, saying he is on the side of the French fishermen.

Speaking to the Jersey Evening Post, Mr Le Masurier said the new post-Brexit fishing licences given to French fishermen were “insulting and discriminatory”.

He added: ‘I will stand with them and take the Normandy Trader [boat] and be with them to take part in a peaceful protest. It has been an absolute disgrace by our government. It is about protecting people’s historic rights, livelihoods and friendships which have been forged over years.

‘I would urge the government to act with the utmost urgency.”

Fisherman Josh Dearing said he was “absolutely” pleased about the deployment of Royal Navy ships to the waters off Jersey.

He told PA that normally the crown dependency was “completely unprotected”, except for a few police officers.

“The French can be hostile. All of our livelihoods are in that harbour and if they wanted to they could cause damage,” he added.

The government’s decision to send gunboats to Jersey should be followed by negotiations with France, Labour has suggested.

John Healey MP, the shadow defence secretary, described French threats against the Channel Island as “completely unreasonable”, adding that the presence of the navy vessels will “help reassure residents and protect Britain’s broader national interests”.  

“The British government must now get round the table with French colleagues and authorities in Jersey and sort this issue out,” he said.

Jersey’s fishermen have said they will ditch their fishing licences if the French fleets gets its demands.

Don Thompson, president of the Jersey Fishermen’s Association, told Good Morning Britain: “We’ve already told our minister – our licences, some of our fishermen have paid a quarter of a million pounds for our licences – we’re going to get rid of our licences and fish without licences.

“We just will not put up with those (French) boats being left to fish uncontrolled, unsustainably in our waters, whilst we’re subject to all sorts of constraints.”

He added that it would be “grossly unfair” if the French fleet got its way.

Dozens of French fishing vessels made their way to Jersey on Thursday morning to stage a protest against new post-Brexit fishing licences.

This is an interactive map showing their arrival:

The fishing dispute between France and Jersey worsened earlier this week when a French minister threatened to cut off the island’s electricity supply.

The UK blasted the threat as “unacceptable”, before later sending two navy vessels to assist Jersey.

Here’s Jon Stone with the details:

Morning, and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the fishing dispute between Jersey and France.