The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Federation chief wants PM to make UK ‘beacon’
Fishing: Johnson is urged to deliver
The new prime minister has vowed to stick by the promises of his predecessor and take back control of UK fisheries.
Addressing MPs in the House of Commons yesterday, Boris Johnson said Brexit presented a “fantastic opportunity” for fishers.
He added: “We will become an independent coastal state again, and we will, under no circumstances, make the mistake of the government in the 1970s, who traded our fisheries away at the last moment in the talks. That was a reprehensible thing to do.
“We will take back our fisheries, and we will boost that extraordinary industry.”
Mr Johnson was speaking after receiving a letter from Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) chief executive Bertie Armstrong, seeking reassurances over the new PM’s commitment to delivering on pledges given by Theresa May during her time at Number 10.
“Potential of enhanced access to markets old and new is at the heart of this”
In his letter, Mr Armstrong said: “UK fishing should be a beacon of Brexit success, as befits our geographical and historic position as a maritime nation soon to have responsibility for some of the best fishing grounds in the world.
“The potential of sustainable expansion and enhanced access to international markets old and new are at the heart of this.
“The UK will assume on Brexit the normal status of an independent coastal state, with sovereignity over our waters and their marine biological resources.”
Mr Armstrong added: “Under the (EU) Common Fisheries Policy, some 60% of the fish leaving our waters do so at the hands of non-UK EU member states.
“Our 40% retention compares starkly with the international norm of our coastal state northeast Atlantic neighbours Norway and Iceland, where the national industries catch and beneficially utilise more than double that percentage.”
The outgoing SFF chief – he is stepping down this autumn after more than 14 years at the helm – said Brexit offered “extraordinary potential to rebuild the UK industry to a significant level on the world seafood stage”.
Urging Mr Johnson to “make the sea of opportunity real”, he said: “There is much work yet to be done to achieve the fisheries agreement prescribed in the withdrawal arrangements, but we look forward to achieving the sort of access to our sovereign resources enjoyed by our neighbouring independent coastal states.
“This uplift in carefully conserved raw material will serve our current markets and create exciting new prospects in international trade.”