Post-Brexit agreement: what European fishermen think
With the agreement reached between the United Kingdom and the European Union, European fishermen will be able to continue to cast their nets in British Channel waters, but will have to reduce their quotas by 25%, the transition taking place over a period of five and a half years.
© Émeline Vin / RFI
Text by: RFI Follow
5 mins
The agreement concluded on Thursday 24 December between the European Union and the United Kingdom on their future post-Brexit trade relations in particular settled the thorny aspect of fisheries.
European fishermen will be able to continue to cast their nets in British Channel waters, but will have to reduce their quotas by 25%, with the transition taking place over a period of five and a half years.
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On the Belgian side, where 80% of resources are fished in British waters, it is satisfaction but also prudence.
Without an agreement, on January 1, Belgian fishermen would not have been able to go to the fish-bearing waters belonging to Great Britain, as they do every week.
From this point of view, this agreement is a relief underlines Sylvie Becaus director of the largest auction in Belgium in Ostend and Zeebrugge: “
We are very happy, we know that for at least five years we will be able to continue fishing in the British areas. even in territorial waters.
We are very happy, we received five more years.
"
But all is not settled according to her.
The details of the quota cuts are only trickling in.
She already knows that Belgian sailors will have to reduce the quantity of sole caught on the English side by 8%.
Short-term relief
“
We know that it will not be fatal, and that we will have time to adapt, but we do not know the real impact.
In five years, it will be much harder, because there will be no more limits and they will have total freedom.
European fishing is saved in the short term, but in the long term we do not know
, ”says Sylvie Becaus.
Belgian fishermen are the most dependent on British waters in Europe.
Their concern now is that in five and a half years, future negotiations will be much less to their advantage.
The fishermen of Hauts-de-France reassured
Stéphane Pinto, vice-president of the Hauts-de-France Regional Fisheries Committee, is satisfied with this agreement which will allow him to continue his work in British waters.
“
I am 80% satisfied because we will be able to continue fishing in English waters.
This was the first concern that sinners in France and even the rest of Europe had and feared.
"
Regarding the minus 25% quota provided for by the agreement, this is something that must be detailed in depth to have the results, believes Stéphane Pinto.
“
But in any case our first concern was really the ban on entering English waters from January 1, because in Hauts-de-France it represents 75% of our time.
Two weeks ago we were afraid of being excluded from English waters, now we no longer have it and we have visibility over 6 years.
"
The vice-president of the Hauts de France regional fisheries committee recalls that the main expectation today is for the French government to work with the other EU member countries to negotiate as best as possible for the next six years on the after.
Take back full control of fisheries management
What do British fishermen think?
In particular those who voted in favor of Brexit to reclaim their waters full of fish.
Paul Gilson is a fisherman at Lee-on-the-Sea and for him many fishermen expected a much worse deal than this.
“
I think the fishing industry was used as a lever to negotiate a better deal.
But I would still have preferred to see the government invest more.
I would have liked total sovereignty of our waters up to 20 kilometers from the British coast.
"
Paul Gilson believes that as fishermen they must take back control of fisheries management across the UK: “
I have nothing against other fishermen but our problem is with Brussels and the way they managed the fishery.
Politicians have no idea how to manage fishing grounds.
There is so much waste in the measures the European Union has imposed on us.
I find we are killing fish needlessly.
"
This fisherman from Lee-on-the-Sea believes this industry should be more sustainable and responsible.
For him, Brussels has understood none of this.
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To read: Brexit: what we know about the agreement between the United Kingdom and the EU
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Brexit
European Union
United Kingdom
Agriculture and Fishing
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