GUERNSEY States Members need to get together with Jersey politicians to discuss the way forward on fishery licensing, says the president of the Economic Development Committee, Senator Gerald Voisin.

He was speaking following last week’s victory for Jersey in Guernsey’s Royal Court, in which a judgment was delivered in favour of the Jersey Fishermen’s Association which had challenged an ordinance barring Jersey fishermen fishing within Guernsey’s three-mile to 12-mile limit without a licence.

Last Tuesday Guernsey Lieut-Bailiff Patrick Talbot ruled that the Guernsey States had exceeded their power in April 2003 when passing the ordinance which came into force on 1 October.

This had the effect of excluding most Jersey fishermen from fishing in Guernsey waters.

Senator Voisin said that following the judgment, he had spoken to Deputy Stuart Falla, the Guernsey Minister for Commerce and Employment, suggesting a meeting.

He was aware, he said, that the Guernsey authorities intended to appeal against the judgment, but he was an advocate of getting together and reaching a workable solution for both Jersey and Guernsey – in other words, reaching some sort of jointly acceptable licensing scheme for both Islands.