Gove: We’ll protect our fishermen

BRITAIN will be ‘in the driving seat’ during post- Brexit negotiations about the UK’s fishing stocks, Michael Gove said yesterday.

Unveiling a Government White Paper on fishing, the environment secretary said EU countries would no longer have a say in who can fish in British waters after Brexit.

Brussels has been pushing for a permanent right to continue accessing British fishing stocks as part of the final Brexit deal.

Chancellor Philip Hammond had pushed for fishing stocks to be used as a bargaining chip in talks, but Theresa May has now sided with Mr Gove, agreeing future access to the

UK’s waters will be decided on an annual basis in British-led talks.

Mr Gove said: ‘It will be a negotiation where we hold the cards.’

The move was welcomed by fishing leaders yesterday. But concerns remain Brussels could limit access for British seafood products unless EU trawlers are guaranteed fishing rights.

Mr Gove said the deal would lead to British fishermen getting a larger share of the UK’s fishing stocks, but declined to set a target. Former Tory cabinet minister John Redwood welcomed the move, saying it could mean ‘much more fish is landed by our boats to make sure our traditional fish and chips is once again fish from our fishing grounds’.

Scottish Fishermen’s Federation chief executive Bertie Armstrong urged ministers to show ‘real backbone’.

‘At last we have a positive statement of taking back control of our waters,’ he said.

Shadow environment secretary Sue Hayman said 70 per cent of what the UK catches is exported and 80 per cent of fish eaten in the UK is imported.

She questioned if Mr Gove’s claims were credible, asking: ‘Why should the fishing industry believe his rhetoric when fundamental questions over customs go unanswered?’