Fishing sector claims clarity in the framework for the future relationship between the EU and the UK and Northern Ireland. (Photo: FIS)

British fishermen request 'clarity' on post Brexit deal

UNITED KINGDOM
Friday, November 16, 2018, 02:20 (GMT + 9)

British fishermen fear they may be forced into regulations similar to that of the European Union's Common Fisheries Policy and are seeking 'clarity' from Prime Minister Theresa May on the proposed new fisheries agreement within the Brexit settlement.

The sector fears to be betrayed by the Prime Minister's Brexit draft agreement with the EU and has raised concerns with the text within the ‘political declaration on the future relationship’, The Express reported.

The European Union’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier left and British Prime Minister Theresa May. (Photo: Stock File)

The industry’s concern stems from the fact that the text suggests that while Britain will be an “independent coastal state”, future cooperation on the development of measures “for the conservation, rational management and regulation of fisheries” will be done in a “non-discriminatory manner”.

Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF) chief executive Bertie Armstrong said the industry’s priority has always been taking back control of decision-making over who catches what, where and when in their waters so that they can end once and for all the grossly unfair situation where 60 per cent of their stocks are taken by boats from other EU nations.

For their part, from Fishing for Leave it was stated they were still studying the “exact meaning of the opaque language” in the Brexit text and felt worried it looked “deeply suspicious”.

“A lot of the wording used is disconcertingly similar to the regulations and treaties founding the CFP, in particular, the non-discrimination principle, which in effect means equal access to a common resource,” pointed out a spokesperson for the association.

The political declaration on the future relationship sets out the “framework for the future relationship between the EU and the UK of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as agreed at negotiators' level on 14 November 2018”.

Focusing on “fishing opportunities”, the document reads: “Cooperation bilaterally and internationally to ensure fishing at sustainable levels, promote resource conservation, and foster a clean, healthy and productive marine environment, noting that the United Kingdom will be an independent coastal state.”

►Photo: SFF

It adds: “Within the context of the overall economic partnership, establishment of a new fisheries agreement on, inter alia, access to waters and quota shares, to be in place in time to be used for determining fishing opportunities for the first year after the transition period.”

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