Don’t sell out our fishermen again in Brexit talks
YOU ALWAYS have to worry when politicians start to talk about commercial fishing. Growing up in a family deeply connected to the sea, I know how devious those elected to Westminster can be. For them, fishing in UK waters is an asset that can be used like a pawn in their underhand game of political chess.
It was in 1971 when Edward Heath sold out British fishermen on joining the EEC. I remember my uncle, a Flamborough fisherman, screaming at the radio as he heard that Heath had given away our Sovereign fishing rights to the French.
Some would say that since then, our seas have been plundered by foreign ships with unscrupulous fishing methods, raping the sea bed and leaving it devoid of life. French, Spanish and Irish ships appear to have the lion’s share of the fish quota.
Off the Cornish coast the UK share is approximately 10 per cent of haddock and eight per cent of cod. The French government secured around 70 per cent of each stock. This is not fair to the British fishermen who try to pick out a living battling the seas to bring good quality, sustainably caught fish to our tables.
Be in no doubt, Boris Johnson is a Heath in sheep’s clothing. With the Irish threatening us that our financial system will not get access to Europe unless we have open fishing, I doubt if Boris will stand up to them or the French.
After all, the fishing industry only contributes 0.1 per cent to the UK economy, whilst the financial services sector weighs in at 6.9 per cent. So, no wonder Boris will sell out the fishermen yet again. And Sabine Weyand, who leads the EU’s negotiations at a technical level, says the UK would be forced to concede on fisheries as part of a withdrawal agreement, meaning Britain would have to “swallow a link between access to products and fisheries in future agreements”.
Just like in 1971, fishermen will be sold down the river in favour of Euro politicians who do not care if our coastal fishing communities survive or not.
More fishing boats will be scrapped, more lives ruined and more homes taken over by incomers who care little for coastal communities. Fish stocks will be plundered and species endangered as super trawlers hundreds of feet long operate with impunity.
Chris Thorne, an oceans campaigner at Greenpeace, said: “Super trawlers are floating fish factories that can process hundreds of tonnes of fish every day. They are responsible for much of the over exploitation of our oceans that is decimating fish stocks, destroying marine ecosystems and ruining the livelihoods of inshore fishermen who fish sustainably and are the backbone of many coastal communities.”
There will be no taking back our waters or protecting our seas. Fishing in UK waters is far too important to France, Denmark and Ireland for them to give it up without a fight.
Many British fishermen expected that Brexit would bring with it larger quotas going to smaller boats and the local communities from which they set sail. That is just a fairy tale and will never happen.
In a year’s time, we will see that nothing much will change. Foreign boats will still be plundering our seas and laughing in our faces as they deplete fish stocks, ignore quotas and accidently catch dolphins.
It is a pipe dream to believe that we will become an independent coastal state with a 200-mile limit. Whatever quotas that are clawed back will be sold to the highest bidder – and not the smaller boat owners that so badly need them. In Scotland, five companies own most of the fishing quotas.
Now is the time for him to stand up to the EU and fight for British fishermen.
Brexit should give us the opportunity to scrap the current quota system and break up the cartels controlling British fishing. Boats under 32 feet should be given the biggest share. Fishermen who use sustainable methods must be put at the front of the queue and coastal communities have life breathed back into them.
Boris has to understand that the coastal communities of Britain only gave him their vote to get Brexit done. If he sells us out, like successive politicians have done to the industry in the past, then he will come to be regarded as just another coward and liar like the rest of them.
Now is the time for him to stand up to the EU and fight for British fishermen, their families and the communities in which they live. Strict control of our seas is vital to protect fish stocks and the livelihood of towns and villages around our coast.
We are not just a chip to be used in the poker game of EU withdrawal and have our fish stocks ransomed from us.