UK fishermen express anger over deal allowing EU access for 12 years

Daily Mail​

20-05-2025

Furious fishermen have branded Sir Keir Starmer's 'raw deal' to hand EU trawlers access British waters for 12 years an 'absolute disaster'. They said the 12-year agreement allowing European fleets to fish in British waters – following a five-year deal agreed post-Brexit in 2020 - means 'nothing has really happened' to benefit British trawlers despite high hopes after Brexit.
And the head of Britain's biggest fishing body told how its members have been left 'deeply disappointed' by what 'looks like' a giveaway of rights with nothing in return. The Prime Minister has denied he was 'stitched up like a kipper by the EU' and insisted the deal would be 'good for fishing'. Speaking at a press conference in London, Sir Keir said the deal would provide 'stability' and help the fishing industry sell more to Europe, which accounts for 70 per cent of fish landed. He denied it would lead to more fish being caught by EU trawlers.
But Mike Cohen (pictured), chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, said that the ability to negotiate fishing quota annually was 'the best card' Britain had in trying to get a 'fairer division' of rights. He added: 'We had a card in those negotiations with the EU and we have given it to the other side.'
Mike Sharpe (pictured), 61, owner of four boats in Brixham, Devon – who has fished since 1980 and owned trawlers since 1988 - called the deal 'useless'. He said: 'It is very predictable (and) was on the cards. It is useless for the country.' Another fisherman at the town's harbour, Mark Bolton, 62, said of the deal: 'Pre Brexit we tried to sort it out that (regaining control of fishing rights) was part of leaving the EU and nothing has really happened. The British fisherman has ended up with the raw deal. Politicians do trade-offs - but realistically they don't listen to what we say and fishing is a niche industry.'
Mr Bolton (pictured), a relief mate and skipper of a trawler, called for the industry to be given the power to manage itself, and claimed: 'Every politician that has ever been involved in the fishery ministry really has not protected us at all'. Further along the south coast, Tony Heinemann, 55, of Portland, Dorset, who first began fishing at the age of nine, described the deal – which he likened to 'robbery' - as a 'shocker' and 'the final nail in the coffin'. Mr Heinemann, who spends up to 15 hours a day at sea, has already had to move from Plymouth, Devon, due to regulations on catching pollock. He told the Daily Telegraph: 'Unfortunately the fishermen are the pawns in anything to do with the EU. The EU make a lot of money off catching fish. 'We have fisheries ministers visit and promise the Earth and deliver nothing – it's the same old story. The fishermen give their concerns, but we are only a small pawn.' Of Sir Keir, he added: 'He's not a fisherman and has no interest in the industry.'
Mr Heinemann also claimed industry rules were 'two-tier' because while British fishermen obey, their French counterparts did not. He added: 'The longer the EU keep having access to our waters, the longer it's going to take for the fish stocks to start getting abundant. It's only a matter of time before it's time to hang up your wellies as there's not enough fish to sustain a living the whole year.' Some 300 miles north, today's announcement was met with weary resignation in the once world-famous fishing port of Grimsby. Locals say the trawling industry has been all but wiped out in the town, which these days processes fish from Iceland, usually shipped in from Norway. But those who work in the processing industry, buying in imported fish at the fish market it and processing it for sale under the Grimsby brand were stunned by Keir Starmer's move.
Patrick Salmon, 61, said: 'I think it's a tragedy that we are selling our only national asset. Boris (Johnson) said we were going to get our fishing grounds back and it's clearly not the case. Our fishing industry is now smaller than the lawn mower industry, which is why the government do not give a toss about it and can trade it away. But it's important for the health of our nation so I think we are missing a trick.' Kevin Gaiger, 64, said: 'It depends on the price the EU are prepared to pay to plunder our waters whether you consider this is a good deal. We have not got the trawlers, the crews or the skippers anymore, so what is the point of having the right to fish in our own grounds? There is no money to invest in new trawlers. We haven't got the crews, which used to run in the local families.'
Andrew Kay,47, said: 'It's definitely not good for the industry and there is no turning back from it. The (East Coast) fleet now lands in Scotland. It is mainly Scottish ships with just a couple of English vessels landing fish in the Shetlands and Peterhead. There is nothing left here in Grimsby. 'But the Scottish fleet will be hit. I think there could be clashes between Scottish vessels and French vessels, which I understand has already happened before.' Mr Cohen, the head of Britain's biggest fishing body, representing 500 vessels and several thousand workers, said its members have been left 'deeply disappointed' by what 'looks like' a giveaway of rights to the EU with nothing in return. He said: 'All that potential in having the richest, best fish stocks in Europe and we're still not able to make use of it for British communities. It particularly hampers the potential of inshore small boat fishing fleets – it restricts their ability to go further out to sea (within British waters) where European trawlers are in operation.'
Asked if the deal amounted to a 'giveaway with nothing in return', Mr Cohen, of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, said: 'It's what it looks like. We're very disappointed.' Mr Cohen revealed he was called at 9am today by Environment Secretary Steve Reed as a 'matter of courtesy' to inform him about the deal. He declined to reveal what was said during the call but told the Daily Mail: 'We signed away fishing rights for five years in 2020. We'd been living with the hope that a better deal could have been done in the run-up to the refresh of the trade and cooperation agreement in 2026.' One of the benefits of leaving the European Union was thought to be the expected boost to British trawlers from the UK having control of fishing rights in its waters. But Mr Cohen said: 'Post-Brexit, nothing has changed (for fishing) so far. This was the point something should have changed but now it isn't going to.'
He added: 'You can imagine the sense of disappointment. The EU will continue to have the lion's share of the catch of cod in the Channel and sole in Welsh waters. It makes it more difficult to reach a fairer and more balanced relationship with the EU.' Mr Cohen said the deal was unlikely to mean job losses because 'nothing will change' from the current situation – but he stressed it has 'implications for how we manage our fleets'. And he added there are also potential 'unintended consequences' such as allowing the EU to object to offshore developments such as wind farms in areas where it has fishing rights. Mr Cohen said: 'We had hoped we would move to a system where quotas would be agreed annually, not for 12 years. 'This could be counter-productive for the government. If (the UK) try to licence some activity which will make it more difficult for the EU fishing fleet they are going to object. We could be lining ourselves up for all sorts of circumstances which haven't been thought through.'
Mr Cohen, who revealed his organisation has held 'quite a lot of talks with the government', added that the 'veterinary deal' on food safety and welfare standards 'doesn't benefit fishermen' – despite the government stressing it will increase exports. 'Fishermen won't get extra money because the person who bought their catch gets a slight bit extra, he said. The head of Scotland's fishing industry accused the Labour government of a 'shameful betrayal' of fishermen and insisted that the new deal 'is a horror show'. Elspeth Macdonald, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, said: 'This deal is a horror show for Scottish fishermen, far worse than Boris Johnson's botched Brexit agreement.' She claimed Sir Keir had 'made the whole deal on the backs of our fishermen and coastal communities… in order secure other objectives', adding: 'This highlights the total indifference of the British political establishment to the interests of our fishing sector.'
And James Anderson, the chairman of the Shetland Fishermen's Association, said: 'The fact is that we are sadly not like Iceland, or Norway, or a country that still recognises the value of protecting our own fishing fleet and fishing grounds. Overnight, the EU has been allowed to renege on annual negotiations and instead enjoy a 12 year deal – with UK fishing crews forced to give up their grounds and fish stocks again in exchange for what?' The late-night 'reset' deal was struck with the European Union ahead of today's major summit between Sir Keir Starmer and Brussels chiefs, Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa. Scottish Conservative fishing spokesperson Tim Eagle hit out at the fishing agreement – due to last until 2038 - saying: 'This agreement is an absolute disaster for the Scottish fishing industry.'
He claimed the Government 'have not just surrendered to the European Union's demands, they have totally capitulated to them'. But Phil Taylor, director of the marine conservation charity Open Seas, said the UK and EU still needed to 'resolve… how this deal will actually deliver' for marine conservation and what conditions will be put on fishing operations. Sir Keir Starmer defended the concession on fishing, as it opened the way for a wide-ranging deal including a security and defence pact and removal of red tape for British farm exports.