Annick Girardin, France’s Minister for the Sea, announced the compensation plan for fishermen out of a job due to the impact of Brexit. It is expected to cost between 40 and 60 million euros.

       But it has left workers fuming - with some declaring it a “defeat”.

       Pascal Delacour, owner of a trawler in Granville (Manche), opposite Jersey, told AFP: "The defeat was predictable. It's a fiasco.

       "France has dropped its pants and abandoned its young sailors because they are the ones who don't have a licence."

       Alain Coudray, president of the C？tes-d'Armor fisheries committee, echoed the views of Mr Delacour.

       They said: "France has dropped its pants.

       "With the English...we must not give up an inch, we must show our teeth, otherwise."

       Olivier Leprêtre, president of the regional committee of fisheries Hauts-de-France, also took aim at the Government over the compensation being offered to fishermen.

       They said: "The government is helpless.

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       “The fleet exit plan means the end.

       “The government is lowering its flag, while it has promised retaliatory measures.”

       Due to the renewed pressure from fishermen, Ms Girardin has spoken to some of those affected.

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       She said the "priority of the government is to obtain licenses," but "this does not prevent us from planning ahead”.

       Pierre Vogel, a fisherman in Saint-Malo, also lambasted Mr Macron and his government on BFMTV as they said: "They are abandoning the fight.

       “They are letting us down.

       “For 11 months they have been telling us not to move a finger, that they will get the licenses, that if they do not get them there will be retaliatory measures.

       “Today, we don't have the licenses and there are no retaliatory measures.

       “We feel betrayed.”

       "We do not want financial compensation, we want to keep working, as we were doing until three weeks ago.”

       Additional reporting by Maria Ortega