Are The Government Serious About A Renaissance In Britain’s Fishing Industry
This is a question I find myself continually asking, after more than twenty-five years campaigning to leave the European Union we are now entering into the final days of negotiations. Who has control of United kingdoms waters and her fishing grounds is still anyone’s guess, although the Government repeats constantly its mantra “taking back control” or “we will once again become an independent sovereign coastal state” the tough rhetoric is not being matched with concrete actions.
Between Thursday 3 September 2020 through to Sunday 6 September 2020 a fleet of trawlers moved into the twelve-mile area off Scarborough and Bridlington and continued to fish on an industrial scale up the east coast of the UK. The fleet led by the “Margiris” this Leviathan of a trawler became notorious when she was banned from Australian waters on ecological grounds. Also included in the fleet was the “Prins Bernhardt” sailing under a French Flag. The fleet consisting of several “Super Trawlers” and the “Afrika” Lithuanian registered and described as a factory ship. All flag ships, all taking quota from the relevant EU nation they are registered under, all fishing for Herring all ultimately landing their catch into EU ports and under the EUs CFP not in breach of any rules.
But to the small-scale fishers who rely on the fishing grounds within the 12-mile waters off the east coast of the UK the industrial scale taking of thousands of tons of fish from these waters, waters that have been fished by generations of Britain’s fishermen, it is devastating. Not only the loss of Herring but the bye-catch that these vessels will hoover up, bye-catch is everything that the huge nets operated by the ships, the size of six football fields in some cases, take out of the water cod haddock or any marine mammal that happens to swim into the nets to die and be thrown over the side and become seagull food which also makes it a great concern to conservationists.
So, what is the reaction of the Government, SILENCE, they take the stance that these vessels are fishing legally under EU law and therefore there is nothing that can be done. A position that was legally defensible pre-Brexit but morally surely wrong? A government that proclaim to be “taking back control of our waters” should surely make representation to the EU declaring their disquiet on having a fleet of Super Trawlers hoovering up fish stocks within the 12-mile area to the detriment of Britain’s artisanal fishers.
If the government were truly serious about the renaissance in Great Britain’s fishing industry post Brexit they could have announced in their “Fisheries Bill” which had its second reading in the Commons on 2nd September, proposals for investment in fish docks which are in disrepair and decline due to fifty years of underfunding, a programme of college courses to give those who are interested in a career in fishing the necessary skills required for a life at sea, a helpful boost to UK boat building providing apprenticeships for school leavers in engineering, electrical, carpentry and other skills needed in ship building, dock management and other related industries and services.
Silence on flag ships or a return to the 1988 Merchant Shipping Act, lack of firm decisions on Super Trawlers in British waters, the unachievable aim to use Royal Naval vessels to protect Britain’s fishing grounds, no future plans to bring on skills needed for a thriving industry. Heralding in the EU negotiations reclamation of 50% EU quota, meaning in real terms Britain’s 10 metre fleet will in future be allowed to fish 6% rather than the 4% it’s allowed at present. Sadly, I hear nothing in the rhetoric or the actions of the government that demonstrate to me that they are really serious in achieving the much-vaunted return of Britain’s fishing industry.