In October 2012, a group of 40-odd French fishing boats surrounded a few English fishing boats, some pelting them with rocks in a dispute over scallop fishing rights. At the time, while French fishermen had limited access to the area, British boats were able to access them at certain times of the year. Europe’s Common Fisheries Policy, which sets quotas giving different European countries access to each other’s waters, has long been a source of dispute and division, and high emotion.
Perhaps, unsurprisingly, the fisheries policy played a prominent role in the debate leading up to the 2016 referendum, with Fishing for Leave founded to ensure the full restoration of Britain’s control over its waters and marine resources. One pre-referendum poll estimated that as much as 92% of Britain’s fishing sector favoured leaving the EU, despite Britain catching the second largest volume of fish (after Spain) within the union. That much of Britain’s fishing exports went to Europe made little difference to the optimism. Shortly before the referendum, a stand-off occurred between a flotilla of fishing boats and a group of “remain” supporters led by singer and campaigner Bob Geldoff.
Britain’s fishing industry has long wielded political interest and emotion well beyond its economic clout. This is partly a reflection of Britain’s history, and the erosion of coastal communities. Many of Britain’s coastal towns have, thanks to a combination of factors, lost the glamour and prestige they once had, with high levels of unemployment, and EU policy has been a ready scapegoat.
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In the immediate aftermath of the referendum, hopes were running high for the industry’s prospects, with a House of Lords committee pointing to the opportunity for the government to renegotiate Britain’s allowable catches for stocks shared with the EU, and determine EU policy. However, the committee expressed caution too — pointing out the huge complexity of post-Brexit arrangements.
Take back control
Brexit caused much consternation in the European fishing sector — a group representing French fishermen estimated that cutting off access to British waters could cut the revenue of French fishermen by as much as 50%. However, as late as early March, British Ministers were insisting the country would take back control of its waters by March 20, 2019, when Britain officially leaves the EU.
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Then came the news on March 19. While Britain had struck a deal with Europe on the terms of the Brexit transition period (21 months), among the concessions it had given to reach that agreement was on fisheries. Under the agreement, Britain’s share of the “total catch” will remain unchanged during the transition.
“The U.K. is staying in the common fisheries policy but with no say on quotas — the worst deal imaginable,” one MP said last week. Agreements on quotas for individual species are subject to ongoing negotiations as and when they expire, and several important ones are set to come up for negotiation during the transition period. In yet another publicity stunt, former UKIP leader Nigel Farage joined other pro-Brexit protesters, flinging fish from a boat on the Thames, while some Conservative MPs warned that they could vote against the EU withdrawal legislation entirely.
In July last year, Britain’s Trade Minister insisted the EU trade deal would be the “easiest” to reach in “human history”. Britain’s fishing feud continues to highlight the remoteness of this aspiration.
Vidya Ram works for The Hindu and is based in London