Watch or download and listen to the EU Landing Obligation enquiry.

Yesterday the Lords held an enquiry into EU regulations and in particular the Landing Obligation which, five years after it was announced will be fully implemented on January 1st 2018.

You can download an audio version here:




Discarding is the practice of throwing unwanted fish back into the sea. An average 1.7 million tonnes of fish and other marine life used to be discarded in the EU each year, because it was unmarketable, unprofitable, exceeded the amount of fish allowed to be caught, or was otherwise unwanted. Not only is this a waste of finite resource, as many fish do not survive discarding, it also makes it difficult to accurately measure how many fish are actually caught (which is necessary to monitor the health of fish stocks and prevent over-fishing).

The EU landing obligation seeks to gradually eliminate discards by requiring all catches of specified types of fish to be landed. It has been implemented in stages, beginning in 2015; by 1 January 2019 it will apply to all fish stocks for which the EU sets a Total Allowable Catch.

This inquiry will focus on the impact that the landing obligation has had to date, how it has been enforced and what challenges are posed by full implementation in January 2019.

At 10:12am Witnesses: Ms Hazel Curtis, Chief Economist, Seafish Dr Tom Catchpole, Principle Fisheries Advisor, Cefas

At 11:17am Witnesses: Mr Barrie Deas, Chief Executive, National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations Mr Mike Park OBE, Chief Executive, Scottish White Fish Producers Association Limited



It was cheering to see that local skipper David Stevens had taken the time and trouble to provide a written submission to the enquiry.

Skipper David Stevens – Written evidence (IEL0001)

My name is David Stevens and I skipper the 20m fishing vessel Crystal Sea SS 118, we work from Newlyn in Cornwall and I have 28 years experience working our family vessel.

Our vessel has always taken part in scientific projects throughout the years, mainly with CEFAS and the MMO but we have also worked with universities on different projects.

We believe that in undertaking a pro-active role in data gathering to help inform science, in the belief that this benefits the fishery as a whole.

In 2013 we undertook trials with REM remote electronic monitoring (CCTV) on board our vessel, we have since had the REM equipment running nonstop since, which is over 6years worth of data.

We did this in partnership at first with the MMO under the catch quota scheme (CQT) then with MMO and CEFAS.

We have learnt a great deal collectively under the scheme and I would say that the work undertaken is well placed to inform your committee of the challenges our industry will face.

We have one major choke species in our fishery of over 30 species which is Area 7B_K haddocks and we mainly focus our efforts on dealing with this species. However we also fully document all species we catch and run separate trials on skate by catch.

All of this work is undertaken by myself and my crew remotely using the REM equipment and once a year we take a CEFAS observer to sea with us to audit and verify what we are doing.

We have come up with many solutions to help minimize the impact of our discards, most have been very effective, but there is no silver bullet to solve the issue we face as it is too large a problem to solve with technical gear methods alone.

For example we reduced undersize fish being caught by 87% using a new technical measure in our nets and we have reduced overall catches of haddock our choke species by 37%. This has come in at an overall economic loss on all other species of 15%. However even with this much effort put in by our vessel we still faced a discard rate of over 70% for mature haddocks.

The main reasons for this species (area 7 B_K haddock) as a choke are The UK relative share with the EU, biologically this species resides in UK waters 60% of stock abundance yet the UK only has a 9% share of the EU TAC total allowable catch.

The main thing I have learnt whilst being involved with this project is that by supplying the transparency on the level we have done by using REM, we have massively increased the knowledge of the fishery, the missing ingredient to solve choke species as a whole is the lack of flexibility that we need in the UK’s diverse mixed fisheries.

In short industry transparency IE. REM gaining the flexibilities required from management (MMO, DEFRA, DG-MARE) = successful discards free fishery.

Questions raised

1. What has been the impact in the UK to date of the EU landing obligation? What

Challenges have there been to implementation?

So far the species chosen in our area have been fairly easy to implement, so no issues so far.



2. What do you expect the impact to be when the landing obligation is fully implemented?

In January 2019? What challenges may there be to implementation?

For our fishery in the Southwest it is expected that the haddock choke as it stands at present will tie the fleet up within 8weeks into the New Year.

The main challenge is the UK’s lack of quota due to its overall poor relative share of the EU quota and that the majority of this species resides in UK waters.



3. What steps could or should be taken between now and January to improve

Implementation?

The fleet will require far greater flexibilities in the area 7 haddock quota and other choke species, on haddock alone the UK has over 70% discard rate.



4. How effectively is the landing obligation currently enforced in the UK? What challenges

Have there been to enforcement

From our side we have REM equipment so we are fully documenting our catch and have no issues at present with the 3 species we currently have to not discard. The fleet as a whole has found this first stage fine, however these are the easy to achieve species the impossible ones are to come into force 2019.


5. What challenges may there be with enforcing the landing obligation when it is fully implemented in January 2019?

Enforcement may not be the issue with REM you know everything also the observer work undertaken will know the scale of the problem that exists already. It is weather; if it comes in as written at present under the CFP rules without the flexibilities required by the fishing fleets, is the UK government going to tie the UK fleet up by early next year for maybe one species in a fishery of 30 species.?



6. What steps could or should be taken to improve enforcement?

You could opt for 5% coverage per métier with REM on the fleets as a whole to give you the data you require however what is the point if this is simply used as enforcement and not to first improve data collection which is at the heart of the problems we face.

At present, observer data undertaken by CEFAS covers 0.5% of fleet activity, the same is true across the EU fleets. We are forming our whole data framework program at ICES level, on very small amounts of data, we are then using forecasting models to predict MSY levels at individual species levels. To manage diverse mixed fishery. You will never achieve MSY on all species at the same time in a mixed fishery without moving to flexible MSY levels.

The data being used in my opinion to achieve this is too limited and in some cases there is clear gaps in the data which is causing choke species within a fishery.



7. To what extent do you believe the UK is prepared to fully implement the landing obligation from January 2019?

The UK agencies have a good idea of the impacts of the landings obligation, it comes down to how much damage do the UK agencies want to cause the fishing industry.

By following the CFP rules on this issue as it stands at present we will face bankruptcy as an industry.


8. To what extent could the use of more selective technology by the fishing industry help fleets fish successfully under the terms of the landing obligation?

It will certainly help, we reduced juvenile catches by 87% using a SQMP panel in our cod ends also we reduced our haddock catches by 37% using a cut back headline on our trawls.

However we still faced a discard issue with haddocks and an economic loss on all other species of 15%, there are always tradeoffs, its flexibilities within the quota system at EU level that is required on top of technical gear measures to solve the choke species issues.



9. Are other EU countries facing similar challenges in implementing the landing obligation? How are they responding?

Certainly other EU states face similar issues on the same or other species, but I am sure there governments will take a pragmatic approach to this or in some cases the usual suspects will ignore the rules completely just as they do now.


15 November 2018


Make a not of these dates for your diaries when the next meetings will be:

05 December 2018 10:00 am Oral Evidence Session

"Implementation and enforcement of the EU landing obligation"

Witnesses at 10:15 am:

Mr Jim Pettipher, CEO, Coastal Producer Association

Mr Jeremy Percy, CEO, New Under Tens Fishermen's Association

and at 11:15 am

Ms Helen McLachlan, Programme Manager, fisheries governance, WWF-UK

Mr Samuel Stone, Head of fisheries and aquaculture, Marine Conservation Society

Room 2, Palace of Westminster

Then again on the 12th  December 2018 10:00 am there will be another  Oral Evidence Session

"Implementation and enforcement of the EU landing obligation"

When the witness at 10:30 am will be:

Mr George Eustice MP, Minister of State, Defra

Room 2, Palace of Westminster

Implementation and enforcement of the EU landing obligation inquiry

Seems a bit late in the day but here is a chance for all those affected to offer some information, insight and thoughts on the subject.

In the South West, (especially ICES fishing areas VII e, h & g) haddock and sole are discarded by the ton from beam trawlers, trawlers and netters alike - the landing obligation will highlight both of these species as 'choke species'.

In the North Sea hake will feature in the eLogs of many vessels and become the choke species that forces vessels to stop fishing.

There are plenty of ways to air your thoughts to the  EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee - see below. Read the guidance notes that go with the call for information.

Latest from Parliament:

Discarding is the practice of throwing unwanted fish back into the sea. An average 1.7 million tonnes of fish and other marine life used to be discarded in the EU each year, because it was unmarketable, unprofitable, exceeded the amount of fish allowed to be caught, or was otherwise unwanted. Not only is this a waste of finite resource, as many fish do not survive discarding, it also makes it difficult to accurately measure how many fish are actually caught (which is necessary to monitor the health of fish stocks and prevent over-fishing).

The EU landing obligation seeks to gradually eliminate discards by requiring all catches of specified types of fish to be landed. It has been implemented in stages, beginning in 2015; by 1 January 2019 it will apply to all fish stocks for which the EU sets a Total Allowable Catch.

This inquiry will focus on the impact that the landing obligation has had to date, how it has been enforced and what challenges are posed by full implementation in January 2019.

Call for Evidence:

• The EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee launches an inquiry into the implementation of the EU landing obligation.

• Call for evidence: Implementation and enforcement of the EU landing obligation (PDF PDF 164 KB)

• Inquiry: Implementation and enforcement of the EU landing obligation

• Send a written submission

• EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee

Background

Discarding is the practice of throwing unwanted fish back into the sea. An average 1.7 million tonnes of fish and other marine life used to be discarded in the EU each year, because it was unmarketable, unprofitable, exceeded the amount of fish allowed to be caught or was otherwise unwanted. Not only is this a waste of finite resource, as many fish do not survive discarding, it also makes it difficult to accurately measure how many fish are actually caught (which is necessary to monitor the health of fish stocks and prevent over-fishing).

The EU landing obligation seeks to gradually eliminate discards by requiring all catches of specified types of fish to be landed. It has been implemented in stages, beginning in 2015; by 1 January 2019 it will apply to all fish stocks for which the EU sets a Total Allowable Catch.

Questions

The Committee is seeking evidence on the following questions:

1. What has been the impact in the UK to date of the EU landing obligation? What challenges have there been to implementation? 

2. What do you expect the impact to be when the landing obligation is fully implemented in January 2019? What challenges may there be to implementation? 

3. What steps could or should be taken between now and January to improve implementation? 

4. How effectively is the landing obligation currently enforced in the UK? What challenges have there been to enforcement? 

5. What challenges may there be with enforcing the landing obligation when it is fully implemented in January 2019? 

6. What steps could or should be taken to improve enforcement? 

7. To what extent do you believe the UK is prepared to fully implement the landing obligation from January 2019? 

8. To what extent could the use of more selective technology by the fishing industry help fleets fish successfully under the terms of the landing obligation? 

9. Are other EU countries facing

Scope of the inquiry

The Committee are inviting individuals and organisations to share their experience of the impact that the EU landing obligation has had to date, and their views on what impact full implementation might have from January 2019. The Committee are also seeking comments on how effectively the landing obligation is being enforced and what the UK Government could do to address some of the challenges posed by the requirements of the landing obligation.

Chair’s comments

Lord Teverson, Chair of the Sub-Committee, said:

"Reducing discards is vital to protecting the health of our oceans. We know, however, that the landing obligation is a major change for the fishing industry and that there are genuine concerns about the impact it may have on fishers' livelihoods. It also requires a shift in how we monitor and enforce fishing regulations, and we know there is some doubt as to whether current arrangements are adequate. We want to understand the challenges that will need to be overcome, and potential solutions to those challenges, and would really encourage those with experience or interest in these issues to share their views with us."

Call for evidence published 15 November 2018. The deadline for submissions is 11.59pm on Thursday 13 December.

Mapping the 2017 UK fishing catch

These infographics were produced by Chris Huggins currently working with the UK in a changing Europe team.

As part of our Brexit and fisheries policy project I recently put together an infographic showing where UK vessels catch their fish.

It did a pretty good job of highlighting that vessels from each of the UK’s four nations don’t just stick to that nation’s waters and why common frameworks will need to be given serious consideration in any post-Brexit UK fisheries policy.

A high-resolution PDF version can be downloaded here.

But it’s limited in that it doesn’t give you an immediately clear sense of the differences in how much each fleet catches. For example the Scottish fleet catches much more than the fleets in the other UK nations, but it’s not overly clear from the infographic how much more as it only really highlights where fish is caught.

I came across the idea of using a dot density map, so decided to give that a go.

The result

A high-resolution PDF version can be downloaded here.

How was it done?

I took a lot of inspiration from Alasdair Rae’s recent AIS tracking maps - he ended up with a really informative but stylish set of maps detailing marine traffic around the UK.

Data on the location of the UK’s 2017 fishing catch was made available by Marine Management Organisation in its recent 2017 annual fisheries statistics report(well worth a read!). This is reported in ICES statistical rectangles - grids of 0.5 degrees latitude and 1 degree longitude. I then summarised the data and calulated the number of points needed in each ICES rectangle for each of the UK nations, with each point represnting ten tonnes of fish. These points were then randomly plotted within each rectangle to represent the density of the catch.

I did all of this in R, which really pushed my limited skills to the limit. But it did allow me to learn a few new tricks, especially for manipulating the spatial data. For those into that sort of thing you can see my (not so elegant) code on GitHub.

Data sources

The data on fishing catch by ICES rectangle comes from the Marine Management Organisation. They publish a range of great statistics on fisheries - their annual sea fisheries statistics publication is well worth a read if you want to get an overview of fisheries.

The ICES statistical rectangles come from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.

To crop the rectangles along the coastline and to show land in the map itself I used the land polygons file from the Natural Earth website.

The bathymetry was downloaded from the NOAA within R using the marmap package.

Facts and figures on the common fisheries policy 2018 edition.

The European Union has agreed that, by 2020 at the latest, all fish stocks should be exploited at sustainable levels. In practice this means taking the highest possible amount of catches from the sea without affecting the long-term productivity of the stocks. This is known as the maximum sustainable yield (MSY). 

In the North-East Atlantic and adjacent waters (North Sea, Baltic Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, West of Scotland Sea, Irish Sea and Celtic Sea), EU fisheries ministers set overall catch limits based on scientific advice. These total allowable catches (TACs) are then divided into national quotas, which set limits on the amount of fish that can be caught.

Fisheries MP George Eustace HoC statement on Baie de Seine scallop issue.

Yesterday, fisheries MP George Eustace made a statement to the House with regard to the Baie de Seine scallop issue between the UK and France.

NEW! Latest government report on Brexit

Fisheries: Brexit Negotiations

Published Thursday, September 6, 2018

Following Brexit, the UK will no longer be part of the EU Common Fisheries Policy. It will become an independent coastal state and be fully responsible for managing fisheries in the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone of 200 miles.

Jump to full report

This will include setting total allowable catches (TACs), distributing quotas and determining who has access to fisheries.[1] However, access for EU vessels to UK waters and vice versa is likely to be part of any agreement reached with the EU, as part of a future relationship.The Fisheries White Paper Sustainable fisheries for future generations, published in July 2018, set out the Government’s intention to continue to co-operate closely with the EU and other coastal states on the sustainable management of fish stocks that cross borders, and states that “any decisions about giving access to our waters for vessels from the EU, or any other coastal states including Norway, will then be a matter for negotiation”.[2]

Brexit negotiations

As part of the Draft Withdrawal Agreement UK and EU have agreed there will be a transition or implementation period which will last from 30 March 2019 to 31 December 2020, during which the UK and EU have agreed that the UK will continue comply with the Common Fisheries Policy.

Beyond the transition period, the maintenance of current arrangements for sharing fisheries resources after Brexit was referred to in the European Council’s draft negotiating guidelines for a future trade deal. This linked continued existing reciprocal access to fisheries to the proposal for a zero-tariff trade agreement. However, the UK Government’s Fisheries White Paper rejected the EU’s position that access to fisheries should be linked to any trade agreement, referring to the latter as “a separate question”. There have been no detailed discussions to date between the UK and the EU on fisheries.[3]

No deal and fisheries

A no deal Brexit, in which there was no transitional agreement on fisheries until the end of 2020, would mean that the UK would become an independent coastal state from March 2019 taking over responsibility for its Exclusive Economic Zone. The UK would no longer be bound by the Common Fisheries Policy and could deny access to EU Member States’ fishing vessels.

UK exports in fish and related products to the EU were worth £1.3 billion and comprised 70% of all UK fish exports from the UK by value. Fish imports from the EU were worth £1.1 billion (34% of all fish imports to the UK by value).[4] The impact of a no deal Brexit on the fisheries industry’s ability to export and trade are likely to be felt across the sector. In addition to the impacts of any tariffs, fisheries products, as all perishable products, could be impacted by any increased delays at borders resulting from greater custom controls.

The EU Commission published a preparedness notice to stakeholders on Fisheries and Aquaculture in April 2018, setting out how UK withdrawal would impact both the UK and EU sectors in the absence of any kind of withdrawal agreement. The UK Government is also expected to publish a Technical Notice on fisheries in September.

[1]     Article 61(1) of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) states that: “The coastal State shall determine the allowable catch of the living resources in its exclusive economic zone.”

[2]     Defra, Fisheries White Paper Sustainable fisheries for future generations, published July 2018

[3]     EFRA Select Committee Evidence Session, 17 July 2018, Fisheries, Q403

[4]     UK Trade Info database, downloaded in April 2018, using product code SITC 03 – ‘Fish, crustaceans, molluscs & aq. inverts & preps thereof’

Commons Briefing papers CBP-8396

Author: Elena Ares

Topics: EU external relations, EU institutions, EU law and treaties, Fisheries, Food, Marine environment

Fishing in Transition - Meeting at Fishmonger's Hall today.

Fishmongers Hall is playing host to a meeting where the interests of the UK fishing industry are being discussed in great detail with regard to Brexit and the Transition Period.

Last week when interviewed on the R4 Today programme Michael Gove said;"One of the reasons why I want us, wanted us to leave the European Union, one of the reasons whey when we leave the when we leave the European Union we will be in a stronger position to help coastal communities is that we'll be outside the Common Fisheries Policy and there fore will have more quota allocated..."

The meeting today explored the likely consequences of an extended Transition and the role the other EU member states might play in the negotiations.


#FishingInTransition Tweets

West Country fishermen to support national protest when a fleet of 80 boats will assemble off Plymouth Hoe this Sunday!

BREAKING NEWS

It's been 25 years since West Country fishermen mounted a protest in Plymouth.

80 boats are expected to make a spectacular protest easily visible off Plymouth Hoe - watched by Drake as he played bowls and efied the Spanish Armada.

Fishing for Leave staging mass protests with fishermen
in ports nationwide with Top Torys & Brexiteers.

Fishing for Leave are staging mass protests with fishermen in ports nationwide throughout Sunday Afternoon (8^th April) against the Transition deal that will see the UK obeying 
all EU law including the hated Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

Around 200 vessels set to mobilize in flotillas. The demonstrations will be joined by top Tory MPs and Brexiteers.

These will take place in Whitstable, Hastings, Portsmouth, Milford Haven with the largest turn outs in Newcastle and a flotilla of over 80 vessels massing in Plymouth. (details below)

The flotillas are a regional replication of the infamous Thames flotilla during the referendum. These protests purpose are to show fishermen’s rage and to take our industry’s plight to the public.

This follows the Thames demonstration on the 21^st March where fish were discarded outside Parliament in response to the news that the government had capitulated to including fishing in the transition period – sacrificing fishing to the EU and betraying Britain’s coastal communities a 2^nd time.

Fishing for Leave and other Brexit groups are pushing for the public who are equally sickened by the governments actions to turn out en-mass around harbours to show support, solidarity and defiance and show their revulsion at the transition.

We implore fishermen to get behind support their fishermen and to invite friends, family and fellow Brexiteers to watch and show support.

The Transition is not just a 21month delay but a death sentence for what's left of the British fishing industry.

The UK will officially leave the EU and take back control but then 1second later will hand that control back to the EU. This is because the transition period means obeying all EU law including the disastrous Common Fisheries Policy but with No say or veto.

The EU will be free to enforce and impose detrimental rules on us to cull what's left of the UK fleet.

This would then allow the EU to use international law, UNCLOS Article 62.2, which says if a nation no longer has the capacity to catch its own resources it must give the surplus to its neighbours.

The EU would be free to easily eradicate what is left of our fleet and has every incentive to do so.

The EU can achieve eradication of our fleet using the failed quota system that forces fishermen to discard fish to try to find the species your allowed to keep.

The discard ban addresses the discard symptom not the quota cause. Now, when a vessel exhausts its smallest quota it must stop fishing - this will bankrupt around 60% of the British fleet – this is why we discarded fish outside parliament to highlight this existential crisis.

The EU can abolish the 12mile limit that protects inshore and shell-fishermen.
The EU can also change the EU relative stability quota share outs so the EU gets even more of our resources than the 60% they catch already.

Even worse, since the government has capitulated on an acid test,  Not only will we squander taking back control of a £6-8bn industry for coastal communities but the EU will use the governments weakness to give a rubbish trade deal.

We've been sold out to a worse position for nothing in return.  

Our nations fishing and communities were surrendered to the EU and have suffered immeasurably  through EU mis-management.

The vote to leave was a godsend to our struggling industry and communities. It provided a golden opportunity to automatically repatriate all our waters and resources, worth £6-8 billion, and to start new policy to rejuvenate our coastal communities and industry.

Fishermen are sickened and enraged that our government has capitulated to obeying all EU law after Brexit. Consigning us to remaining trapped in the disastrous CFP until January 2021, and possibly trapped forever in exchange for a deal trade.

The transition is a second betrayal of fishing, of the Brexit vote, of an opportunity and is a second surrender of our communities.

Our communities might not matter to them (politicians) but they matter to us.  Coastal communities count. MPs better remember that and that No deal is better than a bad deal or these flotillas will just be the start.

                             

VESSELS WISHING TO ATTEND

The more support we have the better, please make the effort to join the flotilla or come by land to support with banners and flags at your nearest demo.

We also have 30,000 leaflets to distribute - anyone who wants to help by donning an FFL t-shirt and handing these out please get in touch.

For port contacts for details of all the events below please email: contact@ffl.org.uk and we will pass you on to the appropriate person.

LOCATIONS – TIMES - CONTACTS

Newcastle First – 1000-1500  (30 vessels)
City Marina Pontoon

We ask that you join us in Newcastle on Sunday 8^th April for the flotilla arriving from 12.00hrs onwards. Press will be able to travel upriver from N. Shields by request.

We invite friends, family and fellow Brexiteers to watch the demonstration and show support on Newcastle’s Quayside

09.30 - Muster in North Shields
10.00 – Begin to depart North Shields vessels start to proceed slowly upriver to arrange into line astern.
10.30 – Flotilla fully underway and proceed upstream maintaining speed over ground of 6kts.
12.00 – Arrive Newcastle city centre and pass under Millennium Bridge. – Vessels to berth at pontoon and at North quayside downstream of pontoon (see red line on chart below)
13.30 – Vessels depart Newcastle city centre leaving under Millennium Bridge.
15.00 – Arrive North Shields and vessels berth or disperse to home ports.

                       

Plymouth Largest – 1500 -1800 (80 vessels)
The Hoe – Smeaton’s Tower

We ask that you join us in Plymouth on April the 8th from 15.00hrs onwards. Press will be able to go aboard vessels by request. Press ferry also available.

We invite friends, family and fellow Brexiteers to watch the demonstration and show support on the Hoe or Mount Batten.

15.00 - Muster in Jenny Cliff Bay in SE corner of Plymouth Sound.
16.00 – Begin two anti-clockwise laps of NW/SE rectangular circuit marked by 4 racing buoys (see chart below).
17.00 – Complete 2 laps - Finish North end. Smaller vessels pass through Smeaton Pass. Congregate under the Hoe. Larger vessels to stay south of Shoals within lap circuit (see chart below). 
17.30 – Vessels disperse to their respective ports or enter Sutton Harbour. Larger vessels may berth at Victoria Pier (see chart below) whilst awaiting tide for Sutton Harbour.

                          

Whitstable Last – 1700-2000 (40 vessels – boat to be torched on bonfire)
West Harbour Pier

We ask that you join us at Whitstable on Sunday 8^th April for the flotilla massing off the harbour from 17.00hrs. A whole fishing vessel will be brought ashore and torched to conclude.

1700 - Muster off Whitstable harbour – spread out from harbour entrance west.
1730 – Begin a slow anti-clockwise oval steam from east to west or raft up off harbour (tbc depending on weather)
1900 – Vessels begin to mass close in to harbour entrance stretching west along shore.
19.10 (approx.) – Shore side bonfire with vessel atop to be lit. Sound horns/fireworks.
20.00 – Vessels depart and return to home ports or berth in harbour.

                             

Milford Haven – 1000-1300 (15 vessels)
The Rath Fishermen’s Memorial or Mackerel Quay.

We ask that you join us in Milford Haven on April the 8th from 12.00hrs onwards.

10.00 - Muster to West side of Harbour entrance at Red Cunjic Buoy (Q.R).
10.30 – Begin 3 anti-clockwise laps of East/West 1.5nm oval circuit from Red Cunjic Buoy (Q.R) East to Red Milford Shelf Buoy (FL.R.2.5s).
12.00 – Complete 3 laps - Finish to SW side of Milford Shelf Buoy. Sound Horns/Fireworks/etc.
12.30 – Vessels return to harbour or disperse to their respective ports.

                                 

Portsmouth - 1400-1600 (15 vessels)
Clarence Esplanade War Memorial

We ask that you join us at Portsmouth on Sunday 8^th April for the flotilla massing off the shore from 14.00hrs.

1400 - Muster off Clarence Pier.
1415 – Begin a slow anti-clockwise oval steam from Clarence pier south to fortress.
1530 – Vessels begin to mass towards Clarence pier. Sound horns/fireworks/flares ~ burn EU flags.
16.00 – Vessels depart and return to home ports or berth in harbour.

                     

Hastings - 1600-1800 - (20 vessels)
Pelham Place Car Park

We ask that you join us at Hastings on Sunday 8^th April for the flotilla massing off the shore from 16.00hrs.

1600 - Muster off Hasting harbour pier – spread out from harbour entrance west.
1615 – Begin a slow anti-clockwise oval steam from harbour pier east to Hastings pier in the west.
1730 – Vessels begin to mass towards harbour pier stretching west along shore. Sound horns/fireworks/flares ~ burn EU flags.
18.00 – Vessels depart and return to home ports or berth in harbour.

BANNERS/FLAGS/T-SHIRTS

We have made banner templates that are free to download and send to your nearest banner printer for the size and design you want.
http://www.ffl.org.uk/banners/

If anyone requires a flag or t-shirt we have a small amount left. Please order asap and we will get them sent away next day delivery as late as Friday so you receive them for Saturday.

http://www.ffl.org.uk/shop/

Seafush Brussels updates - keep up-to-speed with the Brexit news from Brussels

Seafish Brussels

Seafish has a representative in Brussels to ensure the timely and appropriate presentation of key information, evidence and analysis to the UK seafood industry emanating directly from the EU's institutions.

Areas of Work - Information

Seafish Brussels wants to make sure that UK's seafood industry understands the nature and decision-making mechanisms within the EU. There are downloads at the bottom of this page that explain the EU's decision-making process. Brussels Updates, periodic news roundups from Brussels, are also available for download on this page.

Engagement

EU level: Seafish Brussels engages with EU stakeholders to build alliances and work together in a wide range of activities at EU level
UK level: Seafish Brussels responds to the needs of the UK seafood industry updating them on current activities and issues while guiding them to select the most appropriate approach to best defend its interests in Brussels


Brussels Updates: news round-ups from Brussels

Monthly Focus

EU Advisory Council on Markets (MAC)


The Latest Brussels Updates

Brussels Update- Brexit 19/03/18

Brussels Update- Seafood Regulation 14/03/18

Brussels Update- Brexit 12/03/18

Brussels Update- Seafood Regulation 28/02/18

Brussels Update- Brexit 26/02/18


Previous Brussels Updates

Brussels Updates 2018

Brussels Updates 2017

Brussels Updates 2016

Brussels Updates 2015

Brussels Updates 2014



The EU Decision Making Process

Understanding the EU's decision-making process. Part 1

Understanding the EU's decision-making process. Part 2

Understanding the EU's decision-making process. Part 3

Stop Press! NFFO, SFF and CFPO reaction to Brexit Transition arrangements.

After agreeing on the Brexit transition arrangements there will be many fishermen up and down the length of the UK who find it hard to see what David Davis has to smile about!

Cornwall Fish Producers Organisation's considered response in light of the news does nothing to gladden the hearts of south west fishermen who, like fishermen the length and breadth of the UK signed up for Brexit because Michael Gove, Fisheries Minister and MP for Camborne Redruth, George Eustice and other Tory MPs led us to believe that they would, "Take back control"

“We are still trying to obtain the full picture of what has been or may have been agreed in Brussels. However, on the face of it, it appears that the betrayal that was feared by many has occurred, status quo on fisheries is to be maintained during transition.

Even though the UK is leaving EU and CFP at end of March 2019 the UK Government thinks it is OK to hand back fisheries management to the EU straight away - UK fishermen will still in effect be managed by the discredited CFP and EU regulations until the end of 2021 at the earliest. The danger with agreeing to the EU’s terms is that we would be a coastal state in name only for that period.

To make matters even worse the UK has had to surrendered its vote and its place at the EU negotiating table, a condescending line that UK is to be allowed consultation rights in fisheries decision-making and when EU engages in international fora and negotiations has been cynically inserted to allow some attempt at justification.

Ultimately the fear is that if this approach is adopted i.e. making concessions as part of transitional arrangements it can be expected that similar pressures (and outcomes) will apply when it comes to negotiations later this year on the UK’s long term relationship with the EU. The EU will want to maintain the asymmetric and exploitative relationship that currently exists –it appears that the EU has already secured this for the duration of the transition period without much effort or political capital expended!

Mr. Gove and Mr. Eustice have some explaining to do to fishermen around the UK given the expectations they had raised.”

(Statement from the CFPO March 19th 2018)

Then we have;

Bertie Armstrong, CEO of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation:

‘Far short of an acceptable deal’ – SFF on interim Brexit agreement
Reacting to the agreement for fishing during the implementation period, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation Bertie Armstrong said:

“This falls far short of an acceptable deal. We will leave the EU and leave the CFP, but hand back sovereignty over our seas a few seconds later. Our fishing communities’ fortunes will still be subject to the whim and largesse of the EU for another two years.

“Put simply, we do not trust them to look after us. So we issue this warning to the EU: be careful what you do or the consequences later will be severe. To our politicians we say this: some have tried to secure a better deal but our governments have let us down.

“As a consequence, we expect a written, cast iron guarantee that after the implementation period, sovereignty will mean sovereignty and we will not enter into any deal which gives any other nation or the EU continued rights of access or quota other than those negotiated as part of the annual Coastal States negotiations.”


Then we hear from the NFFO:

The NFFO assesses the recent developments in Brussels

1. We are still trying to obtain the full picture of what has been or may have been agreed in Brussels

2. There will be a lot of concern throughout the fishing industry about what seems to be emerging.

3. We were led to believe that the UK would be as an independent coastal state from March 2019. The Prime Minister told us that only a fortnight ago.

4. This timetable and perhaps much else has been conceded as part of the transition.

5. In fact, under international law the UK will be an independent coastal state from March. But we will immediately tie ourselves into an arrangement with the EU that is worse that we had before – as the UK will not have a seat at the table when the quotas are decided.

6. The UK is to be “consulted” by the EU on setting quotas during the transition period but it is not clear what this would mean:

⦁ Notional “cosmetic” consultation or

⦁ Meaningful participation amounting to agreement (like EU/Norway annual agreement which are styled as consultations)

7. In the meantime the UK’s asymmetrical relationship with the EU on fisheries continues.

8. The UK’s central problem with the CFP has been that EU vessels, in value terms takes 4 times as much out of UK waters as our vessels take out of EU waters. That imbalance – essentially an exploitative relationship - will continue during the transition.

9. The Prime Minister told us that UK would renegotiate quota shares and control access over who fishes in UK waters, and under what conditions. That promise is on hold now and may never materialise.

10. This is being presented as tactical concession that will not prejudice our longer term aims. But it has all the hallmarks of a capitulation.

11. The danger with agreeing to the EU’s terms is that we would be a coastal state in name only

12. But there is also danger in making concessions as part of transitional arrangements because similar pressures will apply when it comes to negotiations, later this year, on the UK’s long term relationship with the EU. The EU, not unnaturally will want to maintain the asymmetric and exploitative relationship that currently exists.

13. In the immediate future, sticking to the existing quota shares (relative stability) during the transition period will cause serious difficulties when the EU landing obligation when it comes fully into force on 1st January 2019.

UK’s Negotiating Position

⦁ UK as an independent coastal state
⦁ Rebalancing of quotas to reflect the resources in our waters
⦁ Control over who fishes in UK waters

EU Negotiating Position

• Status quota on quota shares and access arrangements
• UK has no voting rights during transition
• All CFP rules continue to apply (including new ones over which the UK has no say)

Just over two weeks ago (as mentioned by the NFFO) Teresa May and her ministers were predicting a very different outcome for the industry. This what the Prime Minister said in her Mansion House statement:

First Gove, now Teresa May says the words the fishing industry wants to hear in her Mansion House speech today as an icy wind blasts through the open doors of Newlyn fish market.

Fishing industry transcripts:

"The EU itself is rightly taking a tailored approach in what it is seeking with the UK. For example, on fisheries, the Commission has been clear that no precedents exist for the sort of access it wants from the UK.
We are also leaving the Common Fisheries Policy."

"The UK will regain control over our domestic fisheries management rules and access to our waters.But as part of our economic partnership we will want to continue to work together to manage shared stocks in a sustainable way and to agree reciprocal access to waters and a fairer allocation of fishing opportunities for the UK fishing industry. 

Annotated by Alex BarkerThis is an important promise for the Brexit supporting fishing community. The UK’s share of the catch in UK waters was set sometime in the early 1980s and has barely changed since. Should Britain press hard on this point, the EU may say it will restrict its ability to sell fish products into the EU market. And we will also want to ensure open markets for each other’s products. 

Just as our partnership in goods needs to be deeper than any other Free Trade Agreement, so in services we have the opportunity to break new ground with a broader agreement than ever before. 

We recognise that certain aspects of trade in services are intrinsically linked to the single market and therefore our market access in these areas will need to be different. But we should only allow new barriers to be introduced where absolutely necessary."

Time will tell if the industry has been traded off against much bigger trading assets - again. If ever there was a time for the industry to come together and take control to shape its future it is now.