Access to UK Fishing waters: What’s the deal?

12 February 2020 The EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee takes evidence from academics and fishing industry representatives  on how changes in access to UK fishing waters will affect the industry.

• Parliament TV: Access to UK fisheries post-Brexit
• EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee

Witnesses

Wednesday 12 February 2020, Committee Room 2, Palace of Westminster

At 10.30am

• Professor Richard Barnes, Associate Dean for Research, University of Hull
• Dr Christopher Huggins, Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Suffolk
• Andrew Oliver, Partner, Andrew Jackson

At 11:45am

• Elspeth Macdonald, Chief Executive Officer, Scottish Fishermen’s Federation
• Barrie Deas, Chief Executive, National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations
• Jeremy Percy, Chief Executive, New Under Ten Fishermen’s Association
• Andrew Kuyk, Director General, UK Seafood Industry Alliance 

Areas of discussion

Now the UK has left the EU, negotiations are due to begin on what access EU fleets will have to UK fishing waters. The Government has expressed its desire to “take back control” of waters and may want EU fleets to comply with future UK fishing regulations. Access to UK waters may also  become a negotiating point in the Brexit deal talks, because the EU is keen to make a trade deal subject to keeping its current access to fishing waters. The Committee will therefore be seeking evidence on:

• Likely points of contention in negotiating fishing access
• The effects of changing EU access to UK waters
• How fishing access and trade has shaped deals between the EU and other countries, such as Norway
• Prioritising access vs trade
• How a deal can best protect fishers in different parts of the UK