UK IS BEING SHELLFISH OVER FISHING

Anger over Government’s move to ditch agreement

THE UK’S withdrawal from an arrangement allowing other countries to fish in British waters was slammed yesterday.

Ministers will trigger an exit from the London Fisheries Convention, signed in 1964 before joining the EU, to start the two-year process to leave the agreement. It allows vessels from France, Belgium, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands to fish within six and 12 nautical miles of the UK’S coastline. The Republic’s Marine Minister Michael Creed said: “Today’s announcement by the UK Government is unwelcome and unhelpful. “It is a part of Brexit and will be considered by the EU 27 member states and the [Michel] Barnier team when the negotiations commence.” The convention grants rights to neighbouring countries to fish in each other’s fishing zones based on historic activity. The Irish fleet has access to parts of the UK six to 12-mile zone, as has the UK fleet to parts of the Irish zone. These access rights were incorporated into the EU Common Fisheries Policy. Mr Creed added: “Brexit poses very serious challenges to the seafood sector and this announcement will form part of the negotiations.” Sean O’donoghue, chief of the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation, a large fish producers’ group based on Ireland’s West coast, said it is an aggressive measure by the British. He added: “We are not surprised, we did expect it. “The access for us is huge but the access between six and 12 is not our greatest priority, our access is between the 12-mile limit and 200-mile Uk-wide limit. “That is the important one.” The EU Common Fisheries Policy allows all European countries access between 12 and 200 nautical miles of the UK and sets quotas for how much fish nations can catch.

Today’s move is unwelcome & unhelpful. It is part of Brexit MICHAEL CREED IRISH MARINE MINISTER

STORMY WATERS London Fisheries Convention was signed in 1964