Voters can see that the Government has caved in to the EU over fishing
sir – Theresa May, the Prime Minister, and David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, evidently do not understand that the electorate can clearly see they have caved in to the EU’S demands.
It is absolutely unacceptable for the fishing industry to be subject to EU quota decisions until December 2020. David T Price
Banbury, Oxfordshire
sir – A transitional period should mean simply that the EU’S rights of access to UK fishing waters would “transition” over 21 months to zero.
However, it appears that the Government will grant full EU access over this entire period. I am horribly afraid that the transitional period is simply an “extension”. Michael Shilling
Great Bookham, Surrey
sir – If Mrs May had been leader of the Israelites, they would never have escaped from Egypt. Richard Rouse
Sunningdale, Berkshire
sir – In 1973, we were only let in to the EEC at the last minute in return for a back-door deal done for access to our fishing waters. We soon regretted it.
We are now only permitted to leave the rather different EU, 45 years on, if it continues to have access to our waters. Let’s not regret it this time. Charles Leith
Fordingbridge, Hampshire
sir – According to the House of Commons UK Sea Fisheries Statistics (December 2017), the United Kingdom has the second-largest fishing fleet in tonnage in the EU, after Spain.
The UK fleet landed 446,000 tons caught in UK waters in 2016, and the marine council estimates that a further 90,000 tons were caught in other EU waters. Between 200,000 and 300,000 tons of fish were landed by UK boats in other EU countries.
If Brexiteers have their way, UK boats will lose their right to fish in other EU waters, and UK exports will be hit by a World Trade Organisation tariff of 30 per cent. Far from being fishing’s saviour, Jacob Rees-mogg would see it sunk at the 200-mile limit. Professor Eric Goodyer
Birsay, Orkney
sir – Last July, writing to you as a staunch believer in remaining in the EU, I nevertheless said that taking back control of our coastal fisheries was the only unalloyed positive benefit of leaving the EU. I also said that if the Government considered trading away this enormous asset, it would be a perversion of the whole concept of “taking back control”.
This act of treason, now unfolding before our eyes, should be as much a serious crime as selling state secrets. Stephen Porter
London NW6
sir – It’s hard to believe that UK fishing is doomed by EU boats fishing in UK waters for an extra 21 months.
If the British want to save their fleets, they need to start eating the fish caught in UK waters. Most of the fish in the chippies (cod, haddock, coley) is imported from far-away Iceland, Greenland and Norway.
Most turbot, brill, red mullet and squid, even langoustines and clams – 40 per cent of the UK catch – is exported to the EU, which may be more difficult after Brexit. If the British ate what the fishermen caught, UK fleets would have a great future. Roger West
Appenzell, Switzerland