Hostility over halibut is pitting Canada against France in a fishing fracas, with the Canadians accusing French fishermen of overfishing their typical catch. And although the spat is being hashed out senior ministers in both governments, Canadian fishermen say it is moving too slowly and they are losing money to the French.

The tensions recall the 1995 Turbot War, when Canada seized Spanish ships fishing for turbot in Canadian waters in defiance of Ottawa’s attempt to preserve the stocks.