Question:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take urgent steps to help expand the UK fishing fleet. (142753)
Tabled on: 25 January 2021
Answer:
Victoria Prentis:
The Government remains committed to supporting the fishing industry and our coastal communities. The Trade and Co-operation Agreement with the EU reflects the UK’s new status as an independent coastal state, and we have taken back control of our fishing waters. By the end of the five-and-a-half-year period, the share of fish in our waters which UK boats will catch will rise from half to two thirds.
The Government is supporting the opportunities available to the UK’s fishing industry and has committed to providing Ā£100m of investment to rejuvenate the industry and coastal communities across the UK. Further details will be set out in due course.
The answer was submitted on 02 Feb 2021 at 13:07.
February 2, 2021
OT but related; I see it reported the EU has permanently banned almost all UK live shellfish imports on account they do not come from “class A” waters (with regards purity), surely if that was the case the EU would have imposed such a ban months, if not years ago? It is obvious this has nothing what so ever to do with food standards but and act of eurocrat spite over Brexit. The last 7 days has shown the EU is gagging to create a dispute with the UK, they need to remember that the RotW are looking on…
February 2, 2021
Nope.
This procedure has existed for 3rd nations loooong before brexit.
So you are barking at the wrong tree. It is not the EU to blame. It is Downing Street No 10.
If you voted “leave” be happy. This is what you voted for.
And be happy that we have even some sort of a deal.
WTO with quotas would be far more worse.
But again. People really did not understand what they were voting for did they?
February 2, 2021
BE – How would WTO be āfarā worse?
February 3, 2021
Quotas for instance.
Tariffes can shoot from 0% to 40% after quota has been exceeded.
Why would anyone have Trade Agreements if WTO would be so great?
February 2, 2021
@BE; Thank you for clarifying that this is about EU protectionism, I suggest the UK govt takes the EU to the WTO for an adjudication…. The issue I raised, about shellfish, has its roots in food safety standards, not quoter’s.
February 3, 2021
Protectionism? Well EU is not the only one.
Few days ago it was reported that a British Entrepeneur wanted to import 15 million bees only to be told that they might be burned due to new post brexit regulations.
So how was it now with this protectionism?
February 3, 2021
@BE; Conflating two totally different issues is not helpful, but I suspect you knew that.
The UK selfish industry is merely wishing to carry on exporting the same food produce, which ideally needs to be kept alive until a short time before consumption, as they have been for years without complaint from eurocrats, they are not asking permission to import/export breeding stock or non native wildlife.
February 3, 2021
Billy, Nope. Jerry’s point is valid – if the EU ban UK produce that they previously accepted only a month ago, and nothing else has changed, then the EU are doing it out of spite.
February 3, 2021
We did not vote for this, we voted for the consistent promises made by all members of our Government, this so called deal is an abject failure and sell out of the UK fishing industry.
February 2, 2021
We need to meet fire with fire – everything short of sinking EU fishing boats is required to make the point that that area of sea is ours and we can be totally hostile and bloody minded while they play games.
February 3, 2021
Indeed Fred.
February 2, 2021
Indeed.
Are fishermen soon going to have to use electric boats to comply with Mayās insane zero carbon lunacy? Should work well except the batteries will of course double the price of a new fishing boat (and a large increase in weight and decrease in space too, plus render all the old ones scrap). Perhaps limiting fishing to say 10 miles from the harbour for only an hour or so but should work well! But fish will perhaps cost 4 times as much.
Has Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP mugged up on energy realities yet? A interview with Kwasi Kwarteng with Nick Robinson this week (BBC R4 ) revealed that at about seventeen for he had his Cambridge interview. The interviewer arrived rather late and was over apologetic to which Kwasi replied ādonāt worry I am sure you cope just fineā or similar. It reminded me of mine. I went for what I thought was my interview (I already having had my A levels results and the Step exams. The interviewer just said hello and then just said I could indeed have a place. My initial thoughts were well you could just have rung me up and saved me three days work at Woolworths for the expensive train ticket. Not being an Etonian, just a Northern Grammar school lad, I kept schtum.
February 3, 2021
Some / a lot of Old Etonians make a real point of being self-effacing and down-to-earth precisely because they don’t want to appear as some other Old Etonians do: being over-confident / trying to prove something to others …
Eton is a great school – but only for those who don’t let it go to their heads …
February 2, 2021
Fishing trawlers cost between 15 and 50 million pounds each. Ā£100 million will go nowhere. Following the latest EU ban on unprocessed shellfish, the Government urgently needs to fund a shellfish processing plant in the UK. The Government should also ensure that small boats have access to quotas. The way the system currently works makes it almost impossible for the small trawlers to compete against the larger boats.
February 3, 2021
Disagree. Cancel servitude plan and NiP EU acting in bad faith. wTO. Repeal ECHR and the agreementbis cancelled in 15 days. Quick route to freedom. Let the fishing stocks grow and replenish until EU comes to its senses.
February 2, 2021
Is it true that the EU have banned shell fish caught in British waters.
February 2, 2021
No.
Only product from Grade B water that has not been purified.
February 3, 2021
No, it isn’t true. Third countries without the right paperwork can’t sell shell fish to the EU. Nothing new about that. Britain has chosen to become a third country without the right paperwork. So it can’t sell shell fish to the EU. But you knew what you voted for, right?
February 3, 2021
To recap, the UK can’t sell shellfish to the EU as it has for decades because………..it hasn’t got the “right paperwork”. Nothing to do with the product, everything to do with manufactured bureaucracy, then. Don’t you feel it’s just a teeeeeensy bit petty and spiteful?
Obviously, we still have product to sell and if the EU wants to shoot itself in the foot in the name of political point scoring, that’s their prerogative. We now have alternative markets to explore, so we don’t need to bother wasting our valuable time jumping through hoops to provide Europe with the raw materials it needs for its processing plants. This will lead to European job losses, of course, but you knew that, right?
February 3, 2021
You knew what you were voting for..right?
This will be the stock rather smarmy answer to anything even slightly problematic (which some will expand I’m quite sure in the media) that arises.
Yes people did know what they were voting for. You are barking up the wrong tree. What happened in the 4 yrs after the vote, and the incessant foot dragging of the establishment to hinder all preparations for Brexit is where the problem stems and not those who voted to leave because they were ill informed, stupid “gammons” I think the phrase used.
Even my MP who was in the Remain camp was exasperated at the brick wall he was coming up against while working with local businesses among others involved every time they tried to get on with the business of Brexit. Of course he could have been lying and secretly rubbing his hands at the prospect of it all being a shambles.
A few shell fish hardly trumps all other aspects of the reasons to leave does it?
Especially since it is something that can be resolved one way or another
February 3, 2021
Grey, We needed the right paperwork for the EU whilst we were in the EU. I know because I exported to the EU for a few years (I gave up because they were too nitpicky). That’s the point – the EU runs on “paperwork”, much of it unnecessary.
February 2, 2021
Let’s take it slowly. Before any expansion of fishing fleet let us be sure that there is some market for that catch.
And: be prepared that instead of expanding it we need to reduce it!
February 2, 2021
no! we need to reduce the EU and others fishing activities.
February 2, 2021
Yes, absolutely agree BE, lets get new markets for our produce, create a desire for the catch within the UK, lots of inventive use of these catches in all the cooking programs we watch in the UK. Get all the British chefs on this, whenever they introduce new ideas to us they take off in the supermarkets.
February 3, 2021
Billy, Letās take it slowly. According to who you believe UK food production accounts for c76% of what we eat (DEFRA) or about 60% or less (Countryfile, Guardian, etc). That means we can easily eat whatever we produce. There is the market in the UK for UK produce.
February 2, 2021
I think sorting out the fiasco in Northern Ireland is more important. Let’s start by inspecting every truck from Ireland to maintain the integrity of OUR single markets. Also all trucks from mainland Europe crossing to Ireland.
It seems the government is happy to let Brussels dictate terms.
February 3, 2021
Ian
I go with this, when the EU have rotting vegetables in lorries waiting to be allowed to enter the UK, the EU may think twice about their own behaviour
Two can play silly games if needed.
Clearly better if no such action required but sometimes you need to fight fire with fire.
February 2, 2021
O/T but might be of interest to people wondering why vaccines can now be developed much faster than in the past. It has to do with genomics, and so-called reverse and structural vaccinology.
Prof. Rino Rappuoli, his presentation at the 2017 Gairdiner symposium, Canada, also available on YouTube āReverse vaccinologyā, 35mn.
February 2, 2021
thanks john
we should be building fisheries protection vessels anyways, as we are very short of them compared to the size of the water they have to police
February 2, 2021
This is just the standard, cut and paste, ‘line to take’, which is a contemptuous fob-off. It took a junior civil servant three minutes to write and does not answr your question. The government does not accept that there is anything wrong and is not going to do anything new.
You need to come up with some specific proposals of your own and then get a group of like-minded MPs to threaten the government that either they implement those suggestions or you will vote against the party whip.
Using Brexit to expand our fishing catch and fleet was a golden opportunity to increase support for the Union in Scotland, and it has not just been thrown away but you have actually alienated Scottish fishermen even more, as their catch of cod and haddock has actually GONE DOWN. A worse result could not have been produced if you had tried!!! The failure of statecraft here is just off the scale. You must FORCE the government to admit this.
Reply I have made specific proposals
February 2, 2021
Sir John,
I – and I’m sure all others here – would love to know what you have proposed. Are you willing to share, please? And do you have the support of any of your ERG colleagues?
reply As reported here and in tweets
February 2, 2021
This Government has looked consistantly weak in its negotiations with the EU. Constantly allowing deadlines to pass, allowing the EU dictate what and when we negotiate. The events of the last few days shows they cannot be trusted. It’s time to get tough with them. Particularly with regard to Northern Ireland and fishing. The deal struck is not acceptable and customs on our side should be doing it for that actions on their exports. Especially their fish exports. We expect more fish and more encouragement to buy British or elsewhere than the EU. They are not our friends.
February 2, 2021
Sir John, I read an article by Philip Hammond : āI didnāt enjoy being on the backbenches. Having held Cabinet posts over a period of nine years, Iām not really quite sure what the point of being on the backbenches is. Some of my former colleagues in Government are doing precisely that. I donāt know what motivates them. I would have found it deeply frustrating.ā
I think you backbenchers need to remind this modern cabinet of āwhat the point of being on the backbenches isā – time to group and start sabre rattling because if PH was in the cabinet for nine years and thinks youāre all pointless you need to remind them you are.
Sort out this fishing export restriction.
Sort out Northern Ireland
Or retaliate with measures against EU imports.
I read an article the other day that said our Queen owned all the sea beds around the UK canāt she do something about deep trawlers abusing the sea beds and put this in as fast as action is being taken against us to provoke our people.
February 2, 2021
Do EU fishermen who catch shellfish in UK waters need to land them on the continent purified or are they purified at their destination?
If they are purified at their destination what of the level playing field?
If the level playing field is a moveable feast how are we moving it or are our civil servants and politicians still gold plating regulations when others don’t?
February 3, 2021
You got Brexit, you sure donāt sound happy about it. What’s up, are you finding to your amazement that being in the EU was good for our trade, being out of it is not. Who knew?
February 3, 2021
Nothing to do with Brexit, everything to do with galvanising the government into exploiting the opportunities of other markets. Brexit is done, but we still have a less than dynamic government unwilling to listen and hiding behind dismissive platitudes.
Being in the EU certainly hasn’t been good for trade; indeed, while EU trade has been in steady decline for over a decade, our worldwide trade has increased quite dramatically. Not a worry for the EU, though, as they calculate “membership fees” based on overall income. Trade with the EU could have reduced to just one widget, but they’d still have raked in the billions from our non-EU trade, rather like expecting you to pay tax based on your neighbour’s income. Who knew?
February 3, 2021
Read the question being asked again, especially, and I quote;
‘are our civil servants and politicians still gold plating regulations when others don’t?
That lies at the heart of most of the problems, in the EU or out of it.
I’m quite sure most who voted to leave did not think it would be all plain sailing from the outset.
It has nothing to do with people’s voting to leave and their ignorance, and everything to do with bad faith within the halls of power.
One of the reasons given for negotiations being put on hold at the very beginning was because apparently there wasn’t the calibre within the halls of power to do the necessary negotiating from an independent stance.
True or not, who can say. I’d guess it being highly likely, as we had/have a system full of those so used to being in the EU system. The latter being another reason no doubt so many wanted to remain.
For sure now there won’t be the back up excuse of ‘EU rules and regulations’, it must be quite frightening for some don’t you think?
February 3, 2021
No, we are seeing the EU in its true colours and are so pleased to be slightly out of it. Shame we arenāt fully out. I am sure I am not the only person whose attitude has changed from thinking āthe EU is an undemocratic institution that seeks to be a supra government, so we should leaveā to thinking simply āf**k themā
February 3, 2021
Cardigan, We got only Brexit-lite – the EU is still stealing half our fish, and Northern Ireland effectively remains in the EU. So, no, we don’t like the Remain parts. As for your implied view that we can sort out all the problems caused by the EU in one month, I think you’re being unrealistic. As a Leave, I expect we’ll still be clearing up the monumental EU mess left by you Remains in 10 years time.
February 3, 2021
Nick, the beauty is, you’ve not got Brexit-lite, you’ve got Brexit. You wanted to keep all our fish, you wanted the problem of the Irish border to vanish, you wanted frictionless trade …. you were warned over and over again that the EU has red lines too, and your fantasy Brexit was never realistic. And now, at last, you’re finding that out. I think you need to adapt and don’t think of this as a mess that can be cleared up. It’s a mess for ever now. I’d ask some hard questions of the people who told you there’d be no mess, we hold all the cards eh?
February 4, 2021
I am beginning to agree with you Grey in respect of fishing that we shouldn’t think “of this as a mess that can be cleared up.” and I agree that “Itās a mess forever now.” SO WE NEED TO ACT FASTER.
1. Our supermarkets and fishmongers need to buy the British Catch and stop importing so much.
2. Our frozen goods and ready meal manufacturers need to get with a buy British seafood movement and create the market quickly.
3. Our tv cooking shows need to nudge people to learn how to cook mussels and the catch our fishermen land.
The International Trade Department need to help to find new markets if the EU market has disappeared. No point crying over it, get on. I’m sure excess now could be frozen, put in cat food, tinned etc.
It has certainly opened my eyes to wear the seafood I eat every week is from, something I never bothered checking before.
February 2, 2021
How long will we have to wait for further details. Where is the plan now. It should have been ready for when we left,after all the government had 4 years to plan it.
The vaccination programme shows what this government can do if they put their minds to it,just get on and do it.
You have the majority of the country behind you.
February 2, 2021
So that is a “No” from Victoria Prentis then is it?
Perhaps your question might have elicited a more positive answer had you added to the end the words “consistent always with not doing anything the Evil Empire might not like and nothing at all that would require Ministers to show some initiative”.
(At least you were spared a response with the patronizing “the Right Honourable gentleman is quite right…”.)
February 2, 2021
Dear Sir John
I often feel as if I am living in another universe from Govt Ministers
Th fact is there is no free trade as every day we hear of fishermen unable to,sell their stock .Today it is oysters and other shellfish
Has no one any understanding of the hardship this is causing? A solution is required now
Then we hear farmers have pigs unable to be sent to EU. While the UK market is flooded with cheap EU pork Why?
Should not there be a suspension of imports until this is sorted out
Every day we hear of small businesses being destroyed as the cost of sending anything even gifts to or from UK is prohibitive.The UK also charges duties far outweighing the cost of the goods.Yet parcels from the U.S attract lesser sums
I have heard of many outrageous cases .Ex a father sent an old laptop to U.k from Spain charged Ā£140 .
Finally the business of the cladding is affecting the lives of thousands .Immediate action is required to solve this .I do not propose the Govt pay all but a high level legal case should be brought against all parties involved ! The cost should be borne by everyone who sold these faulty flats .First however there needs to be a determination about what is actually dangerous .There is some concern that buildings have been wrongly categorized as dangerous
This catalogue of issues is causing such pain and anguish .I have supported Brexit and the Govt unfailingly through the past years but these issues are threatening my faith in the country
To keep chirping that we have a free trade deal is surely not correct
Someone with the ability to,think should be sent to,sort this out or we should abandon any agreement with the EU !Looking the other way is not an effective strategy
It is not good enough
February 3, 2021
“Should not there be a suspension of imports until this is sorted out”
Indeed there should; not the only issue with the Boris WA. As you say we need it to be abandoned.
February 2, 2021
AnO/T The UK appears ready to reintroduce the use of neonicotinoids from this spring (these nice chemicals shown to be responsible for the disappearance of various insects, including bees, from British fields) while a British bee-keeper recently learned that the 15m bees he was about to import from Italy might be seized at the border and burned because of recently implemented new rules.
Anyone for a slice of bread spread with some British honey?
February 2, 2021
I wonder why the bee-keeper couldnāt arrange the import direct from Italy without going through Ireland? It is also curious to bring them in during the winter is that normal? I didnāt think we put import restrictions on imports right now so what import restrictions are these that you mention.
Did you read why the UK wants to use these ānice chemicalsā?
February 2, 2021
Any bee-keeper will tell you that bees are āsleepingā in cold temperatures and easier to handle.
The NFU and British Sugar had asked Defra and obtained the lifting of the previous ban on thiamethoxam so it can be used on sugar beets because of āexceptional circumstancesā (virus yellows disease).
February 3, 2021
The import of bees has always been regulated. The latest regulation was published by Defra in December 2020 and can be found on http://www.nationalbeeunit.com āGuidance on Importing Bees into Englandā, 14p.
As you will see the situation is more complicated than most people would expect.
As had been said by W. Edwards Deming āWithout data, youāre just another person with an opinionā and opinions do not carry much weight if not supported by a verifiable fact.
February 4, 2021
I would expect importing animals from anywhere on to our Island would be complicated. I am sure that Defra can clear this up quickly now that they are aware we may be short of bees if the imports have been allowed without problem from this one supplier in Italy for many years.
Perhaps our Defra can show the EU how to clear up simple issues like this quickly and efficiently.
February 3, 2021
Hefner, It sounds like the the stupid rules are EU rules preventing the passage of the bees from Northern Ireland to Great Britain (due to NI being annexed by the EU). If that’s correct, you are crowing too soon.
February 3, 2021
What about you reading on the gov.uk website the Defra document dated 23/11/2020 āBees: health certificatesā and page 4 of the āGuidance …ā quoted above.
That ās assuming you are able to get to the website and download those documents … which, I donāt know why, I doubt … at times.
February 2, 2021
This government department needs to up its game, urgently. Do the civil servants have any skills other than transferring EU anti-fishing, anti-farming legislation onto the UK statute book? They’ve had over a year to think about how the government will assist the productive economy including fishermen to return as rapidly as possible to normal pre-EU operation. Ā£100 million is such a piffling sum in terms of overall government expenditure, that it would normally be handled by the teaboy.
February 3, 2021
“Do the civil servants have any skills…”
Certainly not, it seems, those that they should have. Too many years spent rubber stamping EU rules.
February 2, 2021
So, a decade after we voted to Leave the EU we will still be forced to hand over a third of our fish to the EU. Why don’t we allow the Russians to steal half our fish (oops! only a third after nearly 10 years) as well? Or let the USA have a third too? What’s so special about the EU – after all, only a foreign empire – that they should have our fish, but the rest of the world can’t? I think our establishment is full of Andy lookalikes – ready to betray our country provided we pay the EU to do it.
February 2, 2021
Indeed. A disgraceful position and they should be put on notice that their share will dimish further to zero. If the EU want impose tariffs so be it. They will be reciprocated and compensation Tony. They should be told now or what are they offering us in freebies?
February 2, 2021
Expand the fishing fleet?
But the one that we’ve got can no longer sell its catches to its main market!
February 2, 2021
You didn’t say the EU is denying the shellfish etc that their people so badly have wanted and bought from us all these years?
February 3, 2021
Martin, The main market for UK fishermen is the UK. Since when are they unable to sell their catch here? Have you any evidence for your assertion?
February 2, 2021
This is a similar answer to a very similar question asked some while ago. Something is holding the department back. It could be that as we have had trouble with red tape exporting animals to the EU the department does not want trouble on a second front at the same time.
The EU is having great difficulty in coming to terms with Brexit so it may be better to take our time and gently educate them into the changes that were agreed. The article 16 farce was a classic example of how nervous and unsure they are of the future with an independent UK on their doorstep.
February 2, 2021
Be careful with this one. If UK yards can’t expand fast enough, we’ll end up importing new vessels from Europe, including all the clever electronics they use these days. The expansion of the fleet has to be coordinated with the expansion of UK yards.
We can do this, since we’ve already expanded building of high-end private super-boats, but it will take time.
February 2, 2021
The reply is Bland specious rot.
The U.K. Has not taken back control of its territorial waters or fishing stocks therein. The servitude agreement takes back control in name only. After five and half years Barnier made clear the escalating ladder of punishments will prohibit any additional quotas going back to U.K. because the punishments will effect the Whole servitude agreement.
Bad faith is clear in all EU actions, negotiation and now implementation. Why no legal action or revert to WHO?
In December we saw the EU threaten N.Ireland with cutting food supply- tragically the weakness of Johnson and Gove prevailed. We have witnessed deliberate obstructive behaviour for U.K.
Exports with huge lorries queues and held in huge parks. Deliberate obstruction to exports. Gove and Johnson’s weak response there would be bumps, with officials telling exporters to create hubs in EU! Costing jobs and livelihoods here when unemployment already hitting 5%. Now EU threaten permanent ban on UK shellfish.
Last week EU put up a hard border and threatened the lives of U.K. citizens by withholding life saving vaccinations! Timidly Gove claimed it was a mistake! It was deliberate, not accident. A deliberate threat for the U.K. to give up its legally ordered vaccinations. That is aggressive hostility. We demand to know has Johnson given the EU 9 million does to appease them again? Every day in lock down is costing lives and jobs and our economy, when is the idiot in No.10 going to be ousted? Will he take responsibility for all lives lost if he has given away vaccinations?
February 2, 2021
Hope, the first thing youāre told on an aeroplane is put your own oxygen mask on then help others. If vaccines seep out whilst weāre all locked down, businesses failing, people losing jobs because of lock down extensions, high numbers still dying in hospitals many catching covid in those institutions, no talk of decent therapeutics saving people, unions holding back opening up schools, local councils threatening big increases even though their turnover has increased massively with their house building programmes, theyāve cut all services, they donāt collect bins every other week, its getting very, VERY annoying now. Lots of excuses for poor services just being blames on covid.
Meanwhile wealthy people still allowed to jet around without a care – just who is flying around in and out of our airports. Those of us complying havenāt seen family for months, not been out for months. The Gov. want us to stop our lives But for others not to make the same sacrifice so weāre thrown to the lions so the āspecial incomesā can carry on regardless. Today the IOM being celebrated what the actual hell, they use our hospitals just shut their island and theyāre back to normal.
February 2, 2021
Open questions donāt always reveal a lot.
The minister just says what she (or he) thinks will sound good.
Next time ask about:-
How we ensure in future fishing vessels are British – not just registered in the UK.
How we prevent large foreign boats just hoovering up fish in UK waters.
How we address foreign (French) non-tariff measures seeking to destroy U.K. landed fish
Then make a suggestion about giving notice to go WTO terms as the EU Agreement is worse in practice than WTO and unnecessarily cramps our trading options.
Of course you may have been tasked with delivering a soft question for the minister, in which case it is perfectly understandable that you need to do your bit to help the Conservative party.
Reply I do not ask questions for someone else. I am trying to get action to help develop our fishing industry
February 2, 2021
Not much use expanding our fleet now that your red tape Brexit has closed off our most important markets in Europe
February 3, 2021
Carson, Our most important market for most UK products is the UK, not the EU.
February 2, 2021
We have a healthy demand for fish in the UK and in the first instance, the government should be helping our fishing industry to procure a new fleet of boats tailor-made to catch as much of the fish we consume here as possible.
This is a complete no-brainer so why are those boats not already under construction ?
It would mean no tariffs, the lucrative processing of the catch carried out here in the UK and no fragile transport links, potentially subject to industrial action by French fishermen.
.
I only wish we had the figures, but we love our fish and chips and I would have thought that the total amount of fish consumed here must exceed the UK’s potential catch when the transition period has ended.
Can anyone help with the facts ?
February 3, 2021
I am certain there is large pent up demand for several types of fish and shellfish here in UK. What is currently caught has been exported to specific tastes abroad, at a valuable income.
UK fishermen have to adjust their catch and marketing with help from various outlets to satisfy the demand that will appear once supply is there and at a price that would be value for money.
February 2, 2021
I see Farage is now blaming Johnson’s Brexit deal for the abuse he’s getting from fishermen, do you?
February 2, 2021
Perhaps Boris should hire Farage to sort out his fishing problem.
February 3, 2021
Weary, Yes, I do. As do many others. The fishing part of the deal was a capitulation to the EU. But you seem to think we should have capitulated even more.
February 2, 2021
‘Boris’ signed to this traitorous deal, a sellout. Prentis supports it and is thus part of the problem.
Sir John makes protests but remains a loyal member of the party which betrayed us.
February 2, 2021
5.5 years – and this government thinks that that is a good deal
February 2, 2021
What was originally 5 years, is now five-and-a-half-years – after which we will still only be able to fish 2 thirds of our own fish.
What kind of dumb agreement was that… and what do we get in return for this?
February 3, 2021
“The Government remains committed …”
How many times do we hear or read that statement then find that nothing happens? We need real action not words.
February 3, 2021
‘committed to the talk’.
February 3, 2021
What has actually changed since January 1st?
Why all this talk of paying for boats? Surely this is a market thing. Thereās the sea, thereās the fish – if you want to buy a boat, catch some fish and sell them – off you go. If the numbers donāt stack up, donāt do it. Why should the government subsidise this? Iād like to start a small organic farm. Will the government lend me the money?
February 3, 2021
UK Fisherman’s catch of shellfish in UK waters can’t be sold into the EU
EU Fisherman’s catch of shellfish in UK waters can be sold into the EU
What of the level playing field ???
February 3, 2021
We will need all of the coming 5 years to have a viable fishing industry. However, we can
police our seas, to ban illegal fishing, so that our seas are in better shape than as present.
February 3, 2021
Are EU boats catching shellfish i our dirty waters and selling them in the EU?
This government seems to be way beyond useless. When I think of the last four Prime Ministers the Tory Party has lumbered us with, it makes me want to weep. And most of you on here vote for them! Itās all your fault.
February 3, 2021
I suspect the answer is yes Mike. They didn’t mind buying our shellfish before Brexit so they are just being bloody minded and finding ways of decimating our industries. What’s new?
February 4, 2021
Is there a select committee examining this department to review their plans and actions? Have they been asking the same questions you have and what information and answers are they digging up?
Is Gove still Mr Brexit and if so why hasn’t he been providing answers and detail on this rather than prattling on about Covid?