In a joint declaration sent to Michel Barnier, coastal communities, coastal regions and fishermen from all over the European Union called upon the European Commission, Council and Parliament to remain firm in their support for European fishermen as the negotiations with the United Kingdom are nearing the finish line.
Brought together the initiative of the President of the Galician regional Government, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the 70 signatories from seven EU countries echoed the call that had already brought them together for the first declaration of Santiago de Compostela in 2017.
‘Today we are sending a strong signal to Michel Barnier that European coastal communities in Galicia and elsewhere stand by their fishermen whose activity has shaped our ports and cities for centuries. It is also their future that the European Union needs to protect in these Brexit negotiations,’ said Alberto Núñez Feijóo, President of the Galician Regional Government.
To coastal communities and countless European citizens, fisheries is more than an economic activity. It is at the heart of the social, cultural, emotional and economic fabric of hundreds of ports, communities and value chains across the European Union.
‘Even in a country with only 67 kilometres of coastline we have a vibrant fisheries tradition and have been fishing close to the UK for centuries. Beyond the economic value it is people and families that depend on a good Brexit deal,’ commented Bart Naeyaert, Delegate responsible for fisheries in the deputation of the province of West-Vlaanderen in Belgium.
The mayors, aldermen and regional governments called upon Michel Barnier to continue protect European fishermen and work towards a Brexit agreement that does justice to European fishermen, their communities and the people that depend on them.
‘European fishermen are truly grateful for the support that we receive today from our hometowns and regions,’ stated EUFA chairman president Gerard van Balsfoort.
‘It demonstrates convincingly what is at stake here: more than a numbers game or who gets which fish, it is really about the future of people, families and communities.’
