As we know foreign fishing fleets in our waters has been a bitter bone of contention for years. Many UK fishing communities have blamed the EU for their problems - for their decline. As a consequence traditional fishing areas have been very pro Brexit to the point that for some Brexit is almost defined by the repatriation of our coastal fishing waters.
I am not so naive as to not understand territorial fishing rights, the right/necessity for coastal areas to earn a living from fishing and the maintainance of fishing stocks are complex issues. However I have formed a view!
The basis for my view ? I love to eat fish. I love to catch fish to eat. I buy fish to eat. I have seen over fishing by commercial trawlers. I am from the South West of England where there is a strong coastal fishing tradition and I am well aware of the downward spiral the fishing industry has been in for many years. I have watched many of the documentaries made about trawler fishing and I have read quite widely on the subject. So here goes - some bullet points in no particular order !
- For most fishermen fishing is like gambling ie always looking for the big catch and the big payout and when they get it their immediate thought is catch another one. They will never catch enough. The sea is their casino.
- A true tale. I know a local guy who is good at catching bass. He is not a commercial fisherman - but like me, a small boat rod angler - just someone who likes fishing and eats what he catches and gives away a few to friends etc. He told me he would not normally keep more than half a dozen bass from a session - unless that f....ing Langstone trawler is sniffing around. He watches for small boats catching !!). He said he is not going to leave the shoalling bass for that bast....d to sweep up! Consequently he has taken home over 100 bass in a single day! What do you make of that? If I don't catch them - someone else will - so I will catch them anyway ! A common attitude. (If the French are going to grab them I will get them first!)
- Fishing communities - many villages in Devon & Cornwall for instance have a strong fishing heritage - but now descimated or close to extinction by lack of fish/fish quota. The great Brexit hope is quotas will be taken back and communities be revived. Lets hope so.
- However this is the reality as it is in all walks of business life. The small will be swallowed up by the big and powerful - particularly by the efficient. I am concerned that the repatriated quotas will eventually end up in the hands of British boats yes - but those boats will be big - sophisticated - and efficient. Consequently the new wealth will not be spread around - communities will not be revived - but a few people will get much richer. The same goes for the fish markets and fish processing. I suspect it will not survive on a local scale with small communities revived. The super efficient conglomerates will dominate.
- One thing the British fishing industry does not like to be reminded of - but is true - is many of the British fleet sold their boats and quotas to foreign fishermen - in effect for quick cash in the hand for a few. That must not be allowed to happen again.
The Brexit negotiations on fishing rights have been complex and difficult because European fishing boats have been fishing in our waters for decades. Fishing communities across the channel are just as dependent on what they are able to catch in our coastal waters as our fishermen are.
The leverage the EU have been able to use in negotiating quota is to deny/restrict access to their markets unless they could retain some fishing quota for their fishermen. This is a fact of life.
Some people are shouting that the British fishermen have been "sold out" by our government by not repatriating all our stocks/quota immediately. However if this had happened the same people would be shouting that they no longer have the EU markets to sell their catches in at the premium prices they have been used to.
British fishing has not been sold out by our Brexit negotiators and our government. Far from it - the opposite is true - they have done a brilliant job for them. They have retained access to the EU markets without tariff barriers - they have taken back increased quota for British fishermen immediately and over the next 5 1/2 years their quota will increase every year. In 5 1/2 years time the UK will have full control. In addition our government has pledged to invest £100 million in the British Fishing industry to help them upgrade and get ready to deal with increased quotas (which they are not at the moment and which means the negotiated ratcheted deal makes even more sense.)
Our fisherman maintain there is insufficient demand from UK consumers for the fish they catch and EU consumers are prepared to pay a higher price! So well done our negotiators for maintaining access to crucial markets as part of the deal. Fishing communities should acknowledge that.
Just on the contention British people don't like fish - they only want cod and chips on Friday! (ironically we have to import expensive cod as we do not have sufficient numbers in our own waters.) can I say this ? - there is truth in it - they are right! Our fish industry need to do a better job at building and stimulating British markets for the whole range of fish that can be caught in our waters. I am sure now that many people are more health aware, this would be possible.
My final point - 60% of the UK fishing catch is by Scottish fishermen. The Scottish National Party are arguing they should therefore be given £60m of the £100m pledged by the UK Gov't to invest in the fishing industry. However having listened to the SNP in parliament and the extent they hate Brexit and the Tory gov't there is a concern at Westminster that the SNP will wilfully misuse the money. The SNP are committed to Brexit being a failure (it suits their narrow agenda) - they want an independent Scotland to rejoin the EU. Westminster has pointed out to the Scottish fisherman and the SNP that if the SNP get their way and Scotland did rejoin the EU - Scotland would be back with the Common Fisheries Policy and lose again the extra quota the UK gov't has just negotiated back. Consequently Westminster want to deal directly with the Scottish Fishing industry and makesure they understand the £60m is coming from the UK as a benefit of Brexit. I think Boris is being wise here - however much it annoys Sturgeon and Blackford (there will be a big fuss).
Overall the future of British Fishing is vastly brighter under Brexit - but I have concerns it might be creamed off by a few big players. Our government must ensure this does not happen and that planning and investment is for the longterm.
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