The EU’s fisheries will lose out on catching 60 percent of the fish in British waters after Brexit, returning sovereignty to the British sea. Currently, Britain is government by the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) that gives all European fishing fleets equal access to EU waters. The policy aims to ensure that European fishing is balanced and sustainable, but when the UK leaves the EU, it will no longer be bound by its agreements.
Fishing for Leave, a campaign group for the fishing industry, have said that once the EU are barred from Britain’s waters the “EU markets [will be] even more dependent on our exports”.
They wrote on Twitter: “EU fleet losing catching 60 percent of the fish in our waters will make EU markets even more dependent on our exports.
“Just as EU buys huge volumes of fish from Iceland without being allowed to pillage their waters.
“You built an industry on decimating our communities. Free lunch is over.”
The social media post by the campaign group came after the EU Fisheries Alliance, a coalition of European fishing fleets representing EU member states, pleaded for “a post-Brexit solution that works for all”.
They wrote on Twitter: “Only a small amount of fish is sold where it is caught; the EU and the UK fishing industry are highly interdependent for their access to water and markets.
“We need a post-Brexit solution that works for all.”
The UK fishing industry is keen to escape the stringent rules of the CFP and prevent the EU from accessing its waters.
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Fishing for Leave are critical of Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal as they have said it doesn’t immediately pull the UK out of the CFP.
They say Britain will continue to operate during the extendable transition period, which means up until 2023.
The Tories have not yet outlined their future fishing policy, after the UK’s exit, but the 2017 manifesto promised once the UK leaves the EU “we will be fully responsible for the access and management of the waters where we have historically exercised sovereign control.”
The campaign group urge Mr Johnson to unequivocally state that the UK will not be bound into CFP.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister reassured a fish and chip shop oner that Brexit will give the UK entitlement to its “marine wealth” by taking back control of its waters.
He said: “Once we get Brexit done we will have access to our entire marine wealth, entire fisheries of the UK will be under our control again.”
Mr Johnson added: “We hope there will be a stronger UK fishing industry particularly in Scotland.”
