First week of a new era.

For many, the outlook is now sunny...

after the country voted to leave...

so while some things are just temporary...

it's time to prepare for the day when boats like the Dutch beam trawler, Reubens, will soon become a foreign visitor and may well be subject once again to a visit from the customs men whenever she stops over in Newlyn...

while many hope that the exit form the shackles of the EU and CFP will be quicker than a beam trawler refit.

Brexit - Two things can be said with certainty:

From any perspective, it is clear that the outcome of the EU referendum marks a seismic change for the fishing industry. What that change actually will mean in practice is less easy to predict. On all fronts, including fishing politics, we are entering uncharted territory and turbulent waters, with challenges and perhaps also opportunities.

Brexit - Two things can be said with certainty:

1. At this stage, there are more questions than answers 

2. In this new world, fishermen will need a strong, cohesive, national organisation to defend their interests during the upcoming transition

It is not difficult to understand the strong anti-EU sentiments within the UK fishing industry. The European Commission has too often behaved with arrogance, and the EU Parliament with ignorance, to escape their share of the blame. To understand this, you need to go no further that the Commission’s proposed EU ban on small-scale drift nets – to solve an enforcement problem in Italy but which if adopted would have extinguished many sustainable, viable small-scale fisheries in the UK. This is but one example which just illustrates the roots of the frustration that has built over many years.

Promises have been made and expectations raised during the referendum campaign and it is now time to examine if and how they can be delivered. Unfortunately perhaps, the UK’s geopolitical position means that it is not politically or legally possible just to ring-fence most of our fish resources in the way for example that Iceland can. The reality is that most of our stocks are shared with other countries to some degree or other.

We can certainly seek to renegotiate quota shares as well as access arrangement but it is realistic to expect that there will be a price of some sort. Who will pay that price is a critical question?

Some of the key questions in an immediate post-referendum context are:

1. What will the new bilateral (or trilateral) arrangements be for managing shared stocks? Will the fishing industry be part of the UK negotiating team?

2. What assurance will there be that fishing priorities will not be traded away against non-fishing priorities?

3. Will there be new access arrangements in UK waters? Will all foreign vessels be excluded from UK waters? If not, what conditions will apply if they are allowed in?

4. What reciprocal access arrangements will there be for our vessels to fish in the waters of other member states? What conditions will apply?

5. What quota-share arrangements will apply? Will it be possible to negotiate better UK quota shares?

6. What market access arrangements will exist: to the EU single market and for external fish products in the UK? What tariffs will apply?

7. What status will domestic quota management arrangements have post-Brexit? Will there be a grab for quota held by non-UK nationals? EU law will no longer apply but what will English law say?

8. What will the general economic climate be post-Brexit and how will that impact on fishing? Where will the new equilibrium be?

9. What will the political context be, not least where power is currently devolved? Will there be a second referendum in Scotland?

10. Who will be doing the negotiating on behalf of the UK? DEFRA has reduced its team dramatically in recent months.

11. What say will the fishing industry have in shaping the new arrangements?

12. How will the transition to the new arrangements be managed?

Our Fisheries Minister, in campaigning for Leave, made a number of commitments including on the UK’s quota shares and access arrangements. With the referendum outcome, there will now be heavy pressure on him to demonstrate that there was more to those promises than pre-referendum sweet talk.

The one key lesson that we have all learnt from the CFP is that fisheries management is too important to be left to the technocrats. There are no technocratic solutions. Fisheries stakeholders and principally fishermen and their organisations must be at the heart of the design and implementation of management arrangements. It is important that the politicians bear this in mind.

Whatever lies ahead, it will be vital for the industry to speak with one clear loud voice. History, not least the history of the CFP, demonstrates that divisions equal weakness. It is for that reason that the NFFO Executive, when it meets on 12th July, will be taking stock of the Referendum outcome and framing our policy accordingly.

Today's position statement from the NFFO.

Fishing organisations' reaction to the referendum vote.

Leaders of the West's fishing industry say they will be looking for Leave campaigners to keep their promises in the wake of the historic referendum result. Paul Trebilcock, chief executive of the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation (CFPO), said there were challenging times ahead but it was time to look towards the future. "The dice has been thrown and now we have got to see what the future holds," he said.

On the eve of the referendum, fishermen in Newlyn staged a mini blockade in support of Brexit. Mr Trebilcock said many - probably the majority - of fishermen were in favour of leaving the EU and ditching hated fishing quotas and policies. "There are fishermen who think they can just go and fill their boats," he said. "But we are still in the common fishing policy for the moment and it will be some years before anything happens."

Mr Trebilcock said fishermen would be looking to the Government, and in particular to fisheries minister and Cornish MP George Eustice, to deliver on promises made in the run up the vote.

"I think expectations have been raised by the Leave campaign that there will be more quota, more control over our waters and no threat to import and export. "The promises that the likes of George Eustice has made have to be delivered.

"We will be holding Defra and the Government to account." Mr Trebilcock said the fishing industry was resilient and would get on with the job in hand. "There is a lot of uncertainty and there will be plenty of challenges in the future. "We have to roll up our sleeves and get on with it now."

Read more: Plymouth Herald - Follow us: @heraldnewslive

Out of Europe!

The boys have got what many of them wanted - Britain's overnight exit from the EU - let's hope the fisheries minister keeps his word and 'takes back control' - #easywordstosay...

the first boats to land on this historic day...

made for a busy market...

complete with a rare yellow monkfish...

almost luminious...

Newlyn's fish being exported from this morning's market will immediately be affected by the overnight drop in the £ on the currency market...

ITV local news were there to catch the auction action...

big fishing with the big beam trawler St Georges...

big cod...

and big red mullet...

good ray...

and John Dory fishing with the Imogen II...

and  a few mackerel on the ground...

the calm before the storm for the industry perhaps.

EU Referendum - Fish for Leave flotilla in Mount's Bay.

Click on the image to see a slideshow.

Over 30 boats from Newlyn and as far afield as Scotland formed a flotilla on the eve of the EU Referendum to make their feelings felt as they steamed from Newlyn to Mousehole and back to Penzance harbour.

Live video from the @FishingforLeave Flotilla

Follow the fleet as the FishingforLeave flotilla leaves the harbour in Newlyn around 6pm and sails to Mousehole and then across Mount's Bay to St Michael's Mount then returns close along the shore from Marazion, past Long Rock to Penzance harbour before steaming back to Newlyn.

#fishingforleave Tweets

Fishing for Leave Flotilla