Brexit means that a Sea of Opportunity for the UK’S fishermen can buoy their trade
Some of the richest fishing is to be found off Britain, says Bertie Armstrong
Amid all the dust thrown up by the daily drumbeat of a general election, it can be difficult to see clearly what organisations such as ours are expecting from politicians across the spectrum.
So thisis a welcome op port unity, at some distance from the swish andting of the campaign rapiers deployed by the various par ties, to set out where we stand and why.
It is important to state at the outset that we back no political party; rather, we promote the interests of our members – fishermen from a swathe of communities around our coastline – and seek support for our aims from all politicians.
Brexit was undoubtedly a major political earthquake in this country, but for those fisher men, who have lived inside the straitjacket of the Common Fisheries Policy for too long, it has brought hope and expectation.
A Sea of Opportunity, we have been calling it.
In practice, exit from the CFP will lead to the restoration of control of our seas and the creation of a practicable management system that does not involve an enforced giveaway of almost 60 per cent of our stocks.
As a coastal state, like Nor way is, we will then be in a position to conduct annual negotiations on access to those waters, but critically from a position of strength and not weakness.
For those who don’ t know, the UK has some of the richest fishing grounds in the world, and common sense would dictate that this national natural resource should be harnessed – in a sustainable manner of course – for the benefit of those liv- ing in coastal communities around the country.
Speaking of common sense, from time to time it has been mooted that a
Scottish return to the EU could somehow result in us not returning to the CFP.
Alternatively, it has been argued, on our return we would be able to reform this frankly ludicrous frame - work.
In relation to the first point, the view from inside the EU is rather different.
The fisheries commissioner Karmenu Vella has stated that while any countr y t hat shares t he EU’S aims can join, and that discussions over aspects of the treaties would follow, “an opt out from an exclusive competence area [ such] as the Common Fisheries Policy goes beyond a mere adjustment to the Treaties that may be justified by the admission of a new Member State”.
Secondly, the CFP is reformed eve - ry 10 years as a matter of course. But rearranging the feathers on a dead duck won’t bring it back to life, espe - cially when you are forced to enjoy the privilege with 27 other countries, some of them landlocked.
Ou r ca m p a i g n ha s fo c u s e d o n e nc o ur ag i ng po l i t i c i a ns a nd c iv i l ser vants to recognise that our exit from the EU must be coterminous with our exit from the CFP or anything that looks remotely like it.
Then, and only then, can we resume our rightful place among Europe’s top fishing nations and begin the task of regenerating some of our beleaguered coastal communities.
All of this is why we have been asking candidates from all political parties to sign our pledge, a pledge which commits signatories to support these aims. We are pleased that politicians from the different parties have s i gned and l o ok f or ward to the star t of the formal Brexit negotiations and to better times ahead for our fishermen. Bertie Armstrong is chief execut i ve of t he Scottish Fishermen’s Federation