Fishing industry seriously let down

TAKING back control of our waters was one of the main planks of the Brexit campaign and one of the most important aspects of negotiations with the EU. When the Trade Deal was announced, No 10 reported that the outcome was a victory for Britain on fishing. On 28 December, Michael Gove stated in The Scotsman newspaper that in 2026 British fishermen ‘will be taking two thirds of our marine wealth – a sizeable uplift.’ At the last Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons, Boris

Johnson stated that ‘Brexit is delivering a huge uplift in quota.’

They are, of course, both wrong; at the moment, British fishermen have a quota of 50% of fish caught in British waters, after five and a half years that quota is to increase to 58%, a mere 8% uplift.

The National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO) has described this as ‘miniscule, marginal, paltry, pathetic.’ As an example, they quote that after the five years adjustment period, the UK’s share of channel cod will have increase from 9.5% to 10.2%.

Following the deal, the need for an astronomic increase in red tape was described by Environment Secretary, George Eustace, as ‘teething problems’ and downplayed by Boris Johnson as ‘complications over form filling’. He went on to state that ‘... alas, there is a decline in appetite for fish in Continental markets just because most of the restaurants are shut.’ Sadly, the decline in ‘appetite’ is actually because, after waiting days at the border, the British fish is rotten. Boris Johnson said: ‘By 2026, the fishing people of this country will have access to all the fish in all the territorial waters of this country,’ and described this as ‘Eldorado’.

The Trade Deal states that in 2026, should Britain reduce EU quotas, the EU will have the right to put tariffs on fish exports and, in fact, any other product they wanted.

The NFFO know that this is yet another wild claim by Boris Johnson, which he will be unable to fulfil.

Their anger was summed up when they stated: ‘Throughout the fishing industry there is a profound sense of disillusionment, betrayal and fury that after all the rhetoric, promises and assurances, the Government caved in on fish.’ This whole sorry saga proves once more that this is a Government which cannot be trusted, has been shown to be incompetent, and is willing to lie for its own political gain.

Mike Baldwin Thorverton, Devon