The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation seeks parliamentarian support to have their claims heard.

Scottish fishing industry seeks political support to request full UK water control

The Scottish fishing industry is seeking wide political support from parliamentarians from Scotland and the United Kingdom so that, through signing a pledge, the UK can be urged to take back control of the waters in compliance with the Brexit deal.

The initiative is promoted by the the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF), who considers that along with the UK Fisheries Bill, the Brexit deal and political declaration provide the scope for the UK to become a fully independent Coastal State with its own seat at all the relevant international fisheries negotiations from December 2020.

However, the SFF points out that a specific fisheries agreement must also be negotiated and that the EU27 appear determined to try to make continued guaranteed access for EU boats to UK waters a pre-condition of tariff-free trade in seafood.

Industry seeks cross-party support for taking back control of waters

The pledge all politicians will be urged to sign states is intended to back Scottish fishermen and coastal communities by:

• Voting against any arrangements that would extend their membership of the Common Fisheries Policy beyond December 2020 or that would take them back into the CFP after that date.
• Voting against any arrangement that prevents the UK from negotiating access and quota shares as a fully independent Coastal State from that date.
• Upholding the UK’s right to exercise complete control and sovereignty over its own waters.

“We have made it very clear since the referendum in 2016 that anything other than full, unfettered sovereignty over our own waters would be crossing a red line for the fishing industry,” said SFF chief executive Bertie Armstrong. 

“Despite the stated wishes of French President Emmanuel Macron, which we know are shared by the other large fishing nations, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany, we should give a clear and resounding “Non!” to the idea of guaranteeing continued access,” Armstrong claimed.

In his view, access and quotas must be negotiated annually, not carved up in advance, adding that the link between access and trade breaches all international norms and practice and is simply unacceptable.

Related articles:

- Theresa May hits back at French President’s threats over UK fishing waters
- British fishermen request 'clarity' on post Brexit deal
- Seafish on Brexit and how to allow goods to circulate freely around the EU27 and the UK

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