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media KELSEY KELSEY 20 FEBRUARY 2020 Issue 5502 £3.30 media 14 MAY 2020 KELSEY KELSEY TURN TO PAGE 2 FOR THE FULL EU TOUGHENS FISHERIES DEMANDS REPORT Fishing continues to be restricted REGIONAL NEWS as Storm Dennis follows Storm Ciara New 12m crabber launched at Shoreham The Shetland midwater trawler Zephyr running up Jim Partridge’s new 12m crabber is lifted into on a mark before shooting away west of the Butt of the river Adur. Lewis, before Storm Ciara heavily restricted fishing in all areas of the UK last week. (Photo: Ryan Cordiner) It was back in February 2015 that Sussex fisherman Jim Partridge had the hull of his new 12m crabber Fishing activity in all areas of Britain and Ireland was severely delivered to Fisherman’s Wharf at Shoreham, where hampered last week as two deep cyclones quickly tracked his firm Monteum is based. This was the first fishing across the North Atlantic, bringing successive storms, reports boat hull from Pembrokeshire boatbuilder Dale David Linkie. Nelson, known for its quality range of working pilot With a lowest pressure reading of 943mb, Storm Ciara cutters, reports John Periam. brought severe weather conditions to all areas, including a At the time, Jim said: “I am looking forward to the highest wind speed of 97mph in the UK and a gust of 136mph challenge of the fitting-out at Shoreham. It will take a at Cap Corse in France. while, but we will be able to design it to our specific Norwegian vessels engaged in the start of the blue whiting requirements to work along the south coast.” fishery west of Ireland took shelter in Killybegs, while other Five years later, the crabber was finally ready to be pelagic boats dodged at the south end of the Minch before launched. The sun was shining as the crane moved rounding Barra Head late on Tuesday night as conditions into place to lift the new vessel into the water, and started to moderate. then lift out Jim’s current boat, Royal Rebel. Once A small window of quieter weather provided a brief afloat, the new boat was towed by Royal Rebel to her opportunity for skippers and crews to fish blues and mackerel berth, where the final fitting-out will take place. It is again in the second half of last week. anticipated that she will be ready for her first trip in late spring. The lull lasted only 48 hours before Storm Dennis roared in, continues on page 5 bringing 70-knot winds across most of the country. The calm before the storm – the Brixham beamer Catharina Unsurprisingly, the severe weather reduced the level of towing in the Channel 24 hours before Storm Ciara brought shellfish and whitefish supplies in all areas last week. wind speeds in excess of 60 knots. (Photo: Declan Horan) REGIONAL NEWS 2 NEWS Visit us at fishingnews.co.uk and on Twitter @YourFishingNews 20 February 2020 EU fishing states demand harder line on access and quotas Negotiating stance toughens ahead of deadline to agree Barnier’s mandate A new draft of the EU’s negotiating mandate for the talks on its future relationship with the UK shows that major fishing states are aiming to commit chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier to maintaining their existing access and quotas, reports Gaby Bartai The original draft mandate The latest draft also reiterates repeatedly stated that the UK EUFA’s position is that the is ambitious. However, we stated: “The objective of the that future arrangements must must agree to let EU vessels future relationship should be are confident that if we build provisions on fisheries should be be based on ‘common technical continue fishing in UK waters based on four core principles: constructively on the existing to uphold Union fishing activities. and conservation measures’ – a if it wants to secure a free negotiating a new fisheries rules and consider fisheries in its In particular, it should aim to reference to the ‘level playing field’ trade agreement with the bloc. framework in the context of the wider context of the upcoming avoid economic dislocation that UK fishermen fear could keep Speaking on 3 February when wider UK-EU economic and economic partnership, we can for Union fishermen that have them trapped within the CFP in all the draft negotiating mandate trade relationship, ‘cementing’ achieve a new agreement that traditionally fished in the United but name. was launched, he said: “Our free the current allocation of fishing does justice to the complex Kingdom waters. EU sources say that the trade agreement must include opportunities, which it says ‘has reality on the ground.” “To reach this objective, the demands on fishing could toughen an agreement on fisheries. This benefited EU and UK fleets’, The Killybegs Fishermen’s provisions on fisheries should still further before the final version agreement should provide for maintaining mutual access Organisation (KFO) welcomed build on existing reciprocal of the negotiating mandate is continued, reciprocal access to to waters, and ensuring the the EU’s draft negotiating access conditions, quota shares agreed on 25 February. markets and to waters with stable ‘continuation of sound, long-term mandate for the forthcoming and the traditional activity of the The aim of the tougher wording quota shares.” fisheries management for our trade talks, saying that it offers Union fleet.” is to tie Mr Barnier’s hands in the Meanwhile, the European shared stocks’. ‘tangible hope’ to the Irish The new text, presented negotiations, and allay the fears of Fisheries Alliance (EUFA), a Speaking to Fiskerforum, EUFA industry. to EU ambassadors over the EU fishing states that he will reach coalition of fishing organisations chairman Gerard van Balsfoort However, KFO CEO Seán weekend of 8-9 February, says a compromise with the UK that set up in response to Brexit to said: “Brexit is undoubtedly an O’Donoghue sounded a note that Mr Barnier must ‘uphold’ will see their boats able to catch represent the interests of EU uncertain moment for European of caution, saying that while existing arrangements, following significantly less in UK waters. fishing fleets, has published a fishermen, their businesses and Michel Barnier had endorsed complaints from France, Sources from EU fishing states paper setting out its vision of their communities. the position of EUFA, of which Belgium, the Netherlands and have expressed concern at Mr the future, entitled ‘Building “It is now time to look ahead, the KFO is a member, there Ireland that the previous pledge Barnier’s careful use of language, a sustainable, strong and acknowledge our mutual was a long way to go before to ‘build upon’ existing access, talking only of a deal that mutually beneficial joint fisheries interdependence and end this an agreement was reached. quota shares and ‘traditional produces ‘stable’ quota shares. management post-Brexit’, which uncertainty. We need to build The KFO added: “The UK activity’ was too weak. However, Michel Barnier has can be read at: bit.ly/39v2sXr a new, long-term common government hasn’t shown itself framework for sustainable to be a model of consistency fisheries management – one that in what are unprecedented Fishing for Leave: UK government must stand firm preserves the existing distribution discussions.” Fishing for Leave (FFL) has It added: “We are angry, the status quo. Fishing is of fishing opportunities and Mr O’Donoghue said: “Mr reacted angrily to EU demands dismayed and worried at why totemic to millions. They don’t upholds mutual access to waters Barnier stated clearly today, that the UK should ‘roll over’ Downing Street seems emollient expect taking back control to and markets.” and I quote, ‘Agreement on current access and quota to the EU’s hollow threats mean business as usual – they He said that the upcoming fisheries will be intrinsically shares, and to what it regards as rather than swatting them down expect it to mean full control negotiations will provide an linked to the trade agreement.’ the inadequate UK government categorically – this is making the of our waters, unhindered by opportunity to build a new, That is what we have implored response. industry very jittery. the CFP, and repatriating our long-term joint framework for from the get-go. As long as our It said: “We are furious at “It’s all very well redeploying rightful share of resources worth sustainable fisheries management negotiators stick tight to this the lack of criticism, by both Mrs May’s worn-out words: ‘we £6-8bn to coastal communities. that benefits both EU and UK position, there remains light at government and some media, will take back control and be “The government must resist fishing fleets and the communities the end of the tunnel. of the false narrative the EU is an independent coastal state’ the EU’s demand that a fisheries they support, stressing the ‘many “Any other outcome is too trying to build that it is a fait – that happens just by virtue of agreement as per the political centuries’ of shared use of the ghastly to countenance, and the accompli that fishing must be terminating our membership declaration means Britain seas by European fishermen. EU27 must now remain united sacrificed for a deal. EU threats – but if we sign up to roll over caving to rolling over current He added: “The timeframe to and strong to retain that crucial are hollow brinkmanship.” current access and quotas, exploitationary access and negotiate the future relationship linkage between fisheries and The UK’s unassailable legal along with surrendering to the quota shares.” between the EU and the UK trade.” position as an independent political declaration terms of FFL concluded: “Mr Johnson coastal state with full jurisdiction regulatory alignment through has won himself the position to over its waters, and the EU’s a level playing field, then it is win back our freedom – he can dependence on both access independence in name only.

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