Representatives from the UK fishing sector must play a key role in negotiations on the terms of the exit from the European Union, said the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organizations (NFFO).
The NFFO has already begun work on detailed policy options for both domestic and external fisheries that reflect the opportunities and challenges presented by the new post common fisheries policy regime.
Management of fisheries is far too complex and important to be left to government and that is why it essential that respected industry representatives are at the heart of the fisheries component of the Brexit negotiations, said NFFO, in a statement, after a meeting on July 12 to discuss the implications of Brexit.
The UK’s withdrawal from the EU means that the UK, from the date of exit, will take control of UK waters out to 200 miles. This will mean an opportunity to fundamentally change the way our fisheries are managed in the future, it said.
Quota arrangements and access to UK waters by non-UK vessels will, in the future, be determined by the UK authorities, rather than being imposed by a remote and inflexible bureaucracy and parliament in Brussels, said NFFO.
Brexit will provide an opportunity to address historic injustices in quota distribution and to control how many non-UK vessels fish in its waters as well as how and where they fish, said the industry group.
We are certain that both the UK and the remaining EU countries will want to negotiate sensible bilateral arrangement that will allow fair access arrangement for our vessels fishing in EU waters; and EU vessels fishing in UK waters. But the principle of equal access to UK waters will be dead, said NFFO.