Keir Starmer calls for action ‘now’ to stop EU fishermen plundering cod in UK waters | UK | News

Mr Keir Starmer The UK has been urged to act and stop EU fishermen from plundering fish stocks in British waters. The EU has extensive access to British waters under a reciprocal agreement that in practice is more advantageous for European countries.

EU members have done “very well” under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) signed by Boris Johnson’s government and the bloc, with French fishermen catching more than 80% of cod stocks on the British side of the Channel and their Belgian counterparts catching around 70% of Dover sole in Welsh waters, according to Mike Cohen, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO).

The deal is due to be reviewed in 2026, with Sir Keir having already promised to “reset” the UK-EU relationship. Recent reports suggest Brussels will continue to demand favourable access to British waters in exchange for an improved relationship.

British officials are said to believe that access to British fishing waters will be a key compromise in response to Sir Keir’s push for closer ties on trade, security, migration and foreign policy. Brussels bureaucrats, meanwhile, are reportedly preparing a list of “offensive interests” for the EU to deploy in the upcoming negotiations, with fisheries high on the agenda.

Mr. Cohen said Express.fr“We are seeing the first sabre-rattling of European politicians who are starting to define their demands and lay down their markers. I have the feeling that they will want to keep things as they are and maintain the existing agreement. I am not surprised because they have been very, very successful with this agreement. We have given everything away.”

He explained that British fishermen are worse off under the current deal, with quotas effectively being more advantageous to EU countries in British waters. Mr Cohen added: “What other coastal state has vessels from other states operating in its waters?”

The NFFO chief executive said the fact that EU vessels could fish within six miles of the UK coast was particularly galling and called for a review of that aspect of the deal, saying that if Britain had access from zero to 12 miles offshore, its inshore fleet would receive a major boost.

He described a David and Goliath situation, in which small British fishing vessels are outcompeted by huge EU vessels that can operate in all weathers and catch more fish.

Without a renegotiated deal, Mr Cohen said, an opportunity to grow the UK’s fishing fleet would be lost, adding: “We have the opportunity to strengthen our inshore fleet to create jobs and growth.

“We would lose this opportunity if we do not reach a better agreement. We need to have better control over marine resources. By doing so, we can increase our food security.”

He warned that without a better multi-annual deal, the UK and EU both risk having to negotiate every year, creating trade uncertainty on both sides of the Channel while British fishermen already operate in a “difficult” environment.

Under the TCA, 25% of the existing EU quota in UK waters will be transferred to Britain over a five-and-a-half year transition period until 30 June 2026, with agreed percentage changes to the total allowable catch for each stock in each fishing zone.

Mutual access is granted through a system of licences for individual fishing vessels. After 2026, negotiations on access and quotas are expected to take place on an annual basis, unless a multi-annual agreement is reached.

Under the latest UK-EU-Norway deal, announced by Rishi Sunak’s government in December, British fishermen can access 420,000 tonnes of stocks worth up to £700m.

The previous government said the deal would increase the UK fleet’s total fishing opportunities in 2024 to 750,000 tonnes, around 80,000 tonnes more than in 2023 and worth up to £970m based on historical landing prices.

One consequence of Brexit is that Britain now manages its fisheries based on scientific advice and without oversight from Brussels, but industry experts want the government to secure an improved deal that ensures a fairer distribution of fishing quotas in British waters.

Mr Cohen said: “We have something really valuable here and we need to get a deal that reflects that this time around. We need a robust approach to negotiations that always recognises that future collaboration with the EU is important, but which realises that the resources we have in our waters could really benefit the UK.”

“The government is focused on growth. I think if we get this deal right, my sector can really contribute to that in a way that it can’t at the moment… If we keep it the way it is, we’ll lose that opportunity. It just doesn’t seem sensible to me. It would be a terrible waste.”

A Defra spokesperson said: “Food security is national security. That is why the new government will always support our great British fishing industry. We will seek to remove unnecessary trade barriers that block our fish exports and increase fishing opportunities for British vessels in our waters.”