UK to strengthen sea patrols to ward off post-Brexit fishing wars
It’s surprising how few of us understand the fishing industry. My increasing involvement with it suggests that nothing is as it seems on face value. The one thing I think is certain in terms of this story is that there are likely to be tears before bedtime before a new arrangement settles down. This story tells us:
Britain has been quietly increasing its maritime defences in an attempt to prevent a repeat of the “cod wars” of the 1970s once the UK fully completes its departure from the EU at the end of 2020.
With a post-Brexit deal on fishing to be negotiated, maritime authorities are taking on two new inspection ships, according to recent parliamentary answers – and will have more than twice the number of Royal Navy patrol ships by the end of the year.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural affairs has said that it wants “a relationship with the EU based on friendly cooperation between sovereign equals”, but has ramped up preparations in case talks with Brussels break down.
Britain has so far refused to offer Brussels any promises on access to UK waters, where more than 700,000 tonnes of fish and shellfish are caught by EU trawlers each year, prompting the Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, to threaten to block a trade agreement on financial services last month in retaliation.
In a no-deal scenario, the UK would be responsible for patrolling and enforcing the exclusion of foreign vessels in its economic waters, a vast area of 80,000 nautical square miles into the Atlantic and the North sea.
The Marine Management Organisation, responsible for English waters, can obtain a further 22 ships in an emergency, and is also considering whether to take on two extra surveillance aircraft to help cover the maritime area.