Threat to fishing industry from Brexit
THE Fianna Fáil TD for Wexford James Browne has said that the British Government’s decision to withdraw from the London Fisheries Convention is a stark reminder of the damage the Brexit decision could have on the Wexford fishing community.
A fortnight ago, the UK Government trigged the two year process by which they will leave the convention, and will ensure that once Brexit takes place, UK fishing waters will be off limits to Irish trawlers unless special arrangements are put in place.
The Enniscorthy-based TD said: ‘Fishermen in Wexford are deeply concerned about this decision. There are many local trawlers who fish off the
British coastline and their hauls may take a battering because of this decision.’
‘ The fishing industry in
Wexford is a major employer and any move which has the potential to threaten this sector must be treated with the utmost seriousness.
Thousands of jobs in the county are dependent on a strong and vibrant fishing industry, especially in the peninsula communities,’ said Deputy Browne.
‘Fishing must take a central role in the negotiations on trade over the next number of months between the UK and the European Union,’ he said, calling on the Ministerfor Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed to ‘step up to the mark and ensure the industry is protected by negotiating a larger quota’
‘ Thousands of jobs in Wexford are dependent on a strong and vibrant fishing industry especially inthe communities along our coastline from Courtown to Kilmore to Duncannon,’ said the TD. ‘Irish fishing fleets have a lot more to lose as a result of this decision because of our proximity to UK waters.’