Western Morning News (Saturday)
Fishing industry gets a Brexit boost
The Government has pledged £24m to invest in fishing science. Environment Secretary George Eustice explains the impact the cash will have
LST year, we passed the first major domestic fisheries legislation in nearly 40 years, and we have finally taken back control of our waters. The negotiations on fisheries were particularly challenging, but nonetheless the Trade and Cooperation Agreement marked an important step in the right direction. Now that the dust has settled and the new arrangements are bedding down, a far more positive picture is emerging.
We are now an independent coastal State, and our new status is already proving to be good news for our smallest vessels in particular. We have also started to turn the corner on the pandemic and as restaurants re-open prices are on the up with seafood exports returning to pre-Covid levels in June.
The South West is home to a number of iconic fishing grounds – with ports in Brixham, Plymouth and Newlyn which are key pillars of our fishing industry. Our future as an independent coastal state enables us to enhance support for our local industries, the people who work in them and their communities.
Following our departure from the EU, we have seen uplifts in quota shares across the UK. In the Western Channel, our quota of Sole has increased from 69 tonnes to 109, a 37% uplift which is currently being landed by fishers.
By 2026, quota shares will amount to around £146M, or 25% of the average annual EU catch from UK waters. The majority of this uplift is being transferred this year, and we are already seeing the benefits. We are also ensuring a fairer approach to international agreements so we are no longer in the position where Norwegian vessels fish vast amounts more in our waters than us in theirs.
In England we have taken the opportunity to give a significant uplift in quota to our smaller inshore vessels, righting an historic wrong. The under-10m sector, those smaller vessels who had such a bad deal under the CFP, have seen their quota more than double this year as we move to provide access to quota to those fishermen who are able to catch it.
Earlier this year there had been some concerns from some our vessels targeting species like cod and haddock – that they might not be able to do the conventional quota swap agreements with EU producers in order to get the quota for the species they actually target. Again, we have now addressed this concern. In recent weeks our officials have facilitated over 100 individual transfers that have allowed our fishermen to get access to the quota they need for species like cod and saithe and there are more under discussion.
We want to invest in our fishing industry to ensure that it is able to fully reap the benefits of our withdrawal from the EU. That is why the
Prime Minister announced £100m to rejuvenate coastal communities up and down the country. Last week, I announced that the first £24m of that money will fund cutting-edge science and research for the sector across the UK. This will see the fishing and seafood industry working jointly with scientists to research new types of fishing gear, gather new data to sustainably manage the UK’s fish stocks, and trial projects such as new biodegradable packaging for chilled fish and seafood to reduce single-use plastics.
Our region is well placed to benefit with universities such as Exeter, and it’s campus in Penryn. Plymouth University is already leading pioneering research in marine science, fishing and aquaculture. Our Fishermen too have a long history of supporting such work, leading to the development of better fishing gear, the reduction of marine litter and helping to reduce conflict with marine life.
Later in the autumn, we will say more about the second and third pillars of the scheme. An infrastructure pillar will invest in projects to strengthen the supply chain in the UK, allowing the industry to make the most of increases in quota secured through the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. This could include funding for the modernisation of ports, logistic hubs, freezing facilities, improvements to processing plants and new fish markets.
George Eustice is the MP for Camborne and Redruth and the Secretary of State at Defra.
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