UK fishermen’s federations have welcomed the presentation of the Fisheries Bill to Parliament. Secretary of State for the Environment Michael Gove has stated that this will, for the first time since 1973, enable the UK to regenerate coastal communities.
‘This is a necessary piece of legislation that sets a completely new framework for fisheries management outside the universally detested Common Fisheries Policy,’ said Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation.
‘Control of UK waters will no longer be exercised by the dead hand of EU bureaucracy but by our governments at Westminster and Holyrood, which we trust will work together in harmony to seize the Sea of Opportunity that stretches out before us. The Scottish Government’s own figures suggest that this could be worth an additional £540 million per year to the seafood industry plus a total of 5000 new jobs.
Jim Portus of the South-West FPO commented that the devil is in the detail, as it is with all legislation.
‘It was never justified that British fishermen had a risible share of the fish quotas, the majority of which are located within UK’s very rich, shallow continental shelf seas.Some have noted with irony that we are prepared now to entrust the reversal of the CFP into the hands of the same Parliament and Government Department that delivered the death blows over the decades to Lowestoft, Fleetwood, Grimsby and many more ports,’ he said.
‘We had a choice. Either to stay in the CFP and guarantee the destruction of more boats and communities as we drifted helplessly towards that ‘Equal access’ goal, or cast off the tow-rope that binds us to the EU machinery and make our own way to better prospects.’
Jim Portus stated that there is a possibility that the implementation period may be lengthened and momentum lost, pointing out that the Prime Minister has a very slim majority in Parliament that could be tested to destruction, and that the Fisheries Bill may be amended ‘unhelpfully.’
‘Yes, there is a chance that the EU Exit deal may scupper the lifeboat to which we are now clinging,’ he said. ‘But on the whole I’m very pleased we have got this far in the process and I’m looking forward to the weeks and months ahead attending meetings with colleagues and officials where the details will be polished.’
