Read on Twitter
1/ Where I am on fish. A thread.
Any deal with the EU has to be looked at as a whole. Fishing is but one aspect of a deal although it has great political significance.
It is one of the UKâs strongest cards and it mustnât be squandered.
Any deal with the EU has to be looked at as a whole. Fishing is but one aspect of a deal although it has great political significance.
It is one of the UKâs strongest cards and it mustnât be squandered.
2/ UK Fish is an increasingly important natural resource that should become sustainable if we avoid placing the lure of short-term gain before long-term ecological common sense.
Any new headroom must allow us to make repairs to the terrible damage caused by years of overfishing.
Any new headroom must allow us to make repairs to the terrible damage caused by years of overfishing.
3/ We need a strategic plan to rebuild the industry as part of the Govtâs promised economic rebalancing.
Where is it? As well as increased catch we need to develop new markets and create new processing capacity.
That will take take time.
Where is it? As well as increased catch we need to develop new markets and create new processing capacity.
That will take take time.
4/ Despite my cheeky tweet earlier today about buying up French fishing boats, I have no wish to see EU fishermen suffer instantaneous poverty so a tapered deal would allow their industry to make the necessary adjustments whilst we build capacity.
This is the negotiating space.
This is the negotiating space.
5/ Iâve read that a transitional period could see the EU return 35% of their UK allowance.
So by the end of the period the UK would get 72% of the available UK catch. I canât vouch for these figures but if true they seem reasonable *but only if the rest of the FTA is good too.*
So by the end of the period the UK would get 72% of the available UK catch. I canât vouch for these figures but if true they seem reasonable *but only if the rest of the FTA is good too.*
6/ What is *absolutely* critical is that at the end of this period, the UK has full control of its waters. That means annual negotiations, quotas set by us and our rules to conserve stocks.
7/ Iâm convinced that the EU are desperate to avoid this because it gives the UK massive leverage in any future trade dispute (which based on their current behaviour seems likely) and is why it is the reddest of red lines for me.
8/ My worry is that a headline row over short term quotas like weâre currently seeing in the press will obscure other long-term changes that might stop us developing the industry in the way we have been promised.
We need control. This is what we need to look for.
We need control. This is what we need to look for.
9/ Finally, a deal does not automatically mean a betrayal as some keep indicating.
The right deal could be to everyoneâs benefit if itâs without political entanglement.
We just need to remember our strategic objectives and read the small print very carefully indeed.
/End
The right deal could be to everyoneâs benefit if itâs without political entanglement.
We just need to remember our strategic objectives and read the small print very carefully indeed.
/End
