Keir Starmer speaks with von der Leyen in Brussels
Furious UK fishermen fear that their industry will be on the brink of "collapse" if Sir Keir Starmer doesn’t end unrestricted EU access to British waters.
The prime minister has been urged to roll back EU access to UK waters as the Government looks to negotiate new terms with Brussels.
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After the UK left the EU in 2020, the two parties reached a deal on fishing rights, but the agreement left many British fishermen furious as it still gives European boats access to UK waters.
The deal expires in 2026, meaning Sir Keir will have to negotiate new terms with the EU. It has been reported that EU officials have listed fishing access as one of their main priorities for the negotiations.
Speaking to the Daily Express, Matt Smith, a fisherman from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, says fishermen in the UK are "angry" with the deal the UK secured during Brexit talks in 2020. Writing on Wednesday in the Express, former Reform UK Co-Deputy Leader Ben Habib described Boris Johnson's deal as even worse than it already seems to people concerned about the arrangement.
READ MORE Keir Starmer accused of ￡775million EU fishing stitch-up in Brexit betrayal [BREXIT]
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Starmer has kept his cards close to his chests on how he will approach fisheries (Image: Getty)
Matt Smith says fishermen are 'angry' with the current deal post-Brexit (Image: Matt Capon/Daily Express)
Starmer met with Von der Leyen earlier this month (Image: Getty)
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Having worked in the industry for 44 years, Mr Smith is urging the Prime Minister to not back down in negotiations with Brussels, otherwise we are "looking at the possible collapse of the industry itself."
The skipper called on Sir Keir to "to stop this massive increase of foreign vessels taking our stock away" and invest in the industry so that fishermen can enjoy bigger fleets.
Mr Smith and his crew of eight land a wide range of fish including cockles, sol, plaice, and herrings. But he says European boats are also after the same catch.
He continued: "We have got a good opportunity now to recover this country and recover the fisheries. It is not too late. The fishing industry is the people's industry, and we are losing it. We need to grab hold of this opportunity for our future and our grandchildren, otherwise we will be lost."
Asked if he had a message for Sir Keir, Mr Smith added: "Don't let the people of this country suffer anymore. I think you are the man to do it. it is going to be a hard job but I wish you the best of luck."
So far, Sir Keir has not offered any explicit reassurances to the fishing industry. After a meeting with European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen earlier this month, he said: "There will be issues which are difficult to resolve and areas on which we will stand firm."
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Leigh-on-Sea's fishing industry is central to the town (Image: Getty)
This has sparked fury from political opponents.
Shadow environment spokesman Steve Barclay warned Sir Keir earlier this month that he "must rule out giving in to Brussels' demands for greater access to our fishing waters."
Reform UK leader Richard Tice told the Daily Express that “Labour hasn’t once spoken about our fishing industry or signalled any intention to fight for a fairer deal.
"Both parties have failed time and time again, it’s no wonder Reform is surging in the polls."
Mike Cohen, CEO of the The National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO), has held a number of meetings with Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner.
He told the Daily Express that the Government must right the wrongs of the previous Brexit deal, which "gave all the same rights to Europe while we got nothing out of it."
Mr Cohen added: "The big thing that exercises people is the ability of European boats to access UK waters up to 6 miles from our coast.
"Access of EU boats right up to our shoreline was a shocking concession, so we would like to see that change."
He added that Europe has also benefited from "unfair" quotas, with 84 percent of the quota for cod in the English section of the Channel owned by France and 70 percent of the sol quota in Welsh waters owned by Belgium.
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The NFFO chief continued: "It isn't right that people have to watch foreign boats catching fish that they are not able to land when they are right on their doorstep."
A Defra spokesperson said: "This Government will always back our great British fishing industry. We will seek to tear down unnecessary trade barriers and push for sustainable fishing opportunities for British vessels."
"We recognise the challenges the sector has faced over the past few years which is why we are engaging with industry to create more secure, sustainable, and economically successful fishing and aquaculture sectors that will in turn support local communities.”