MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

South Georgia fishing licenses dispute will be appealed before the High Court in London

The row erupted after it emerged that £75million worth of licenses in the South Atlantic have been handed to firms from Norway, Chile and New Zealand

A British fishing firm has won the right to appeal against a controversial decision to hand lucrative fishing licenses to foreign rivals in the South Atlantic, according to a report from Daniel Martin in the Daily Mail.

 Last week it emerged that £75 million of licenses in the South Atlantic have been handed to firms from Norway, Chile and New Zealand, while applications from two British-based companies were rejected. Six licenses allowing access to fish in waters around the British overseas territory of South Georgia, for four years were granted in February.

The Mail points out that the row erupted after it emerged that £75million worth of licenses in the South Atlantic have been handed to firms from Norway, Chile and New Zealand. Applications from two British-based companies – South Georgia Fisheries and Fortuna Ltd – were rejected

The owner of one of the rejected firms launched a judicial review into the decision, and the High Court in London has ruled that he can appeal.

Rupert Street, of South Georgia Fisheries, welcomed the decision and said it showed ‘the law in Britain is here to help us’. He added, ‘I am delighted to have won the first stage of the judicial review process so quickly. We will be taking this all the way.

‘By taking this action on behalf of British fishing interests we are showing to our Commonwealth partners as well as our own fishermen that the law in Britain is here to help us.’