Following a meeting of the National Federation of Fishermen''s Organisations Executive Committee on 12 July, the organisation has issued a statement on what Brexit means for the UK fishing industry.
It says that from the date that the UK leaves the European Union, the country will take control of UK waters out to 200 miles (or the median line.) This will mean an opportunity to fundamentally change the way UK fisheries are managed in the future.
After Brexit, quota arrangements and access to UK waters by non-UK vessels will be determined by the UK authorities - not by Brussels. This will provide an opportunity to address quota distribution and to control how many non-UK vessels fish in UK waters, how and where they fish.
“We are certain that both the UK and the remaining EU countries will want to negotiate sensible bilateral arrangement that will allow fair access arrangement for our vessels fishing in EU waters; and EU vessels fishing in UK waters. But the principle of equal access to UK waters will be dead,” says NFFO.
“It is essential that as part of the exit agreement the UK negotiates access to EU markets. We also expect the UK to negotiate at least the same fishing opportunities in third country waters that our fleets enjoy today.”
The NFFO also says that it expects the UK to provide at least the same level of financial support for the fishing industry as has been channelled through European funds.
It says that it remains committed to the progressive elimination of discards from UK fisheries; however any landing obligation that is applied to UK vessels fishing in UK waters must remove the threat of repeated ‘chokes’ that would prevent UK fishermen from accessing their main economic quotas.
The NFFO has already begun work on detailed policy options for both domestic and external fisheries that reflect the opportunities and challenges presented by the new post CFP regime.
