Brexit: UK must 'not surrender' to EU over fisheries

1 September 2020, 21:45

Boris Johnson holding a cod during an election campaign visit to Grimsby Fish Market last December
Boris Johnson holding a cod during an election campaign visit to Grimsby Fish Market last December. Picture: Getty
Nick Hardinges

By Nick Hardinges

Britain's Brexit negotiators are being urged to "not surrender" to the European Union over access to fisheries as talks reach crunch point, ministers have been told.

Conservative MP Sheryll Murray, of South East Cornwall, praised the UK for "holding firm" against the "unacceptable demands" of the EU over accessing Britain's waters.

Fishers are said to be optimistic about the transition period ending on 31 December, MPs heard, and they hope UK negotiators will reject Brussels' demands.

However, the Scottish National Party (SNP) spearheaded efforts to block the progress of the Fisheries Bill until it is "clear what kind of deal" will be made between the two parties.

The legislation will enable Britain to become an independent coastal state once the transition period ends and it will block foreign fishing boats from entering UK waters unless licensed to do so.

Barnier: UK-EU trade deal post-Brexit unlikely

Ms Murray told the second reading debate in the House of Commons: "All United Kingdom fishermen are looking forward to the end of the transition period with much optimism.

"My message is clear: do not surrender to the unacceptable demands of the European Union and it may be worth reminding them that they already have the mechanisms in place to adapt their collective fleet to their much-reduced resource."

Earlier, Environment Secretary George Eustice argued the legislation gives the UK an opportunity to correct "shortcomings" in the EU-led approach to fishing for the "first time in almost half a century".

He told MPs: "Overall the UK fishing industry currently has access to just around half of the fishing opportunities that are in our own waters and that cannot be right."

The minister urged MPs to support the proposals of the second reading as they will allow Britain to "chart a new course as an independent coastal state".

Ben Kentish explains the hold-ups with the latest Brexit talks

Mr Eustice said the powers will be necessary "whether or not there's a further negotiated outcome on a future partnership with the European Union", as he sought to dismiss the importance of ongoing Brexit talks.

Explaining the measures to control access by individual foreign vessels to the UK's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Mr Eustice said: "This includes the power to stipulate, through a vessel licence, firstly where in our EEZ a vessel may fish, when it may fish there, what fish it may catch whilst there and what type of fishing gear it may or may not use.

"The ability to control and manage access to our waters will be crucial to ensuring that a fairer sharing arrangement prevails in future."

Neil Parish, Tory chairman of the Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, also said: "EU vessels benefit by a ratio of six to one under the Commons Fisheries Policy, so it is time we put this right."

Shadow Environment Secretary Luke Pollard said Labour believes the Bill does not deliver the "coastal renaissance" that it should have.

Boris Johnson visits Grimsby fish market

He said: "Fishing is a policy area where, up to now, soundbites have often triumphed over substance and where dogma has often won out over detail.

"That must end now because fishers in our coastal communities cannot feed their families on soundbites and vague government promises."

Mr Pollard continued: "This Bill is a framework Bill so is necessarily light on detail but it does offer a centralisation of powers with (Mr Eustice) and doesn't deliver the coastal renaissance that I think this Bill should have done.

"10 years of austerity has hit our coastal communities hard and now Covid-19 means we are standing on the precipice of a new jobs crisis, the likes of which we haven't seen since the 1980s."

SNP environment spokeswoman Deidre Brock, moving her party's amendment to decline the Bill a second reading, added: "We still have no idea what the agreement with the EU will look like and we still have no idea what the seascape will be that fishing businesses have to operate in.

"There is still no clarity. That deal is not going to be good for fishing communities. They remember that a previous Tory government sold them out in negotiations over Europe and now they fear the new generation of Tories will do exactly the same."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Drivers queuing in Dover on Friday morning

Holidaymakers hit with 2-hour Dover ferry waits amid strong winds, as 2.6m hit the roads for Good Friday getaway

The attack happened on a train in south London

Teenager charged with attempted murder after south London train stabbing, with victim still in critical condition

Mother Natalie Pinnell

Mother left in tears after daughter with complex needs 'erased' from school photo

Amber Rudd and Mary Beard have both been nominated to the Garrick Club

Amber Rudd and Mary Beard among seven women nominated for membership of all-male Garrick Club

Exclusive
Anneliese Dodds said Labour would make sure local people have 'skin in the game' with tackling inequality

'Rebuild has to start from ground up,' Labour's Anneliese Dodds says, and 'local people must have skin in the game'

Mohamed Mansour has been awarded a knighthood

Conservatives accused of 'cronyism' after donor who gave £5 million awarded knighthood in surprise honours list

Exclusive
Justin Welby recalled his experience of coping with his father's drinking as a teenager.

‘It was utterly isolating’: Archbishop of Canterbury recalls harrowing childhood with alcoholic father

More than 2 million drivers are set to hit the road on Good Friday.

Easter Carmageddon: Over two million drivers to hit the road on Good Friday after Storm Nelson travel chaos

Michael Gove has slammed the water firm as a 'disgrace'.

Thames Water bosses branded a ‘disgrace’ as Michael Gove tells firm ‘not to punish consumers’ for its failings

South Africa Bus Crash

Girl, 8, the sole survivor as 45 die in bus crash off South Africa bridge

A spokesman has denied reports the sausage dog could be banned.

The wurst news is over: Germany denies claims of sausage dog ban

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Greece Confidence Vote

Greece’s government survives no-confidence motion called over rail disaster

A council has had to apologise following the incident.

Fury as parents offered version of school class photo without complex needs pupils

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto