27 November 2016
The UK’s two main representative organisations for commercial fishermen – the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) and the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO) – have agreed upon common principles to ensure the best possible deal for coastal communities in the forthcoming Brexit negotiations.
The two federations met in Edinburgh on Friday 25 November and
agreed the key outcomes they want to achieve from negotiations to leave the EU.
Fishermen across the UK have welcomed Brexit as providing a historic
opportunity to secure significant economic benefit to coastal communities once
the UK regains control of its 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
At the meeting between the two federations, it was agreed
that they would seek the following outcomes from Brexit:
- Fairer shares of catching opportunity for UK
vessels. - Full control over access to the UK EEZ by
fishing fleets. - Creation of a fit-for-purpose
management and regulation system, including a grass roots revision of fisheries
management based on sustainable harvesting and sound science. - Establishment of mutually beneficially trading
relationships with the EU and other countries.
The federations also agreed that there must be no roll-over
of the current Common Fisheries Policy and that negotiations regarding fisheries
should not be entangled with non-fisheries issues.
Furthermore, the federations insist that negotiations must
benefit all sectors of the fishing industry. Inshore and offshore fleets, fish
and shellfish all stand to benefit from the opportunities that the UK’s exit
from the EU provides.
This is an opportunity to go beyond the limited achievements
of the CFP. An ambitious management strategy for UK waters that will provide
environmentally sustainable, high yield and profitable fisheries for the future
must be created. In particular there is a need to devise and implement a
workable discards policy.
Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the SFF said: “Brexit
has monumental significance for the nation’s fishing industry and our coastal
communities in terms of providing the opportunity for a significant increase in
economic activity. It is vital that fishermen across the UK speak with a united
voice to ensure that the UK and devolved governments fight for the interests of
these communities in the forthcoming negotiations.
“The
UK fishing industry is speaking with one voice – it is a sea of opportunity
that must not be traded away.”
Barrie Deas, chief executive of the NFFO said: “We
see the UK’s departure from the EU and therefore the CFP as an opportunity to
address the distortions that were built into the CFP from its inception. The UK
industry is united that this is a once in a generation opportunity to put
things right.”