Brexit: Internal memo reveals no-deal fishing patrol fears
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has revealed its concern at the UK’s ability to patrol fishing waters in a no-deal Brexit.
In a leaked government memo, Defra said there is “a lot of uncertainty” around what will happen, and that there are just 12 ships “to monitor a space three times the surface area of the UK”.
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If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to do so on 31 October if a deal cannot be agreed, then the UK will leave the common fisheries policy, which dictates how much fish countries can catch and where.
An internal email, seen by the BBC, said: “While our public position on this wider issue is already clear and widely communicated, in that post-Brexit we will be an independent coastal state with control of our waters, both policy and MoD have indicated we are not on an overly strong footing to get ahead of the potential claims that could arise from this story.
“At this stage, there is a lot of uncertainty about the sufficiency of enforcement in a no-deal because we have 12 vessels that need to monitor a space three times the size of the surface area of the UK.”
However, ministers have said they are confident of security being enforced after Brexit.
Labour peer Admiral Lord West told the BBC it showed the UK has “insufficient assets to patrol and look after our exclusive economic zone for fisheries, and also our territorial seas”.
“This will be thrown into stark relief if we should cease to have an agreement with the EU on fisheries.”
He added: “This is something a number of us have been saying for some time now, but it has always been denied by Defra and the government.”
However, Barrie Deas, CEO of the National Federation of Fisherman’s Organisations (NFFO), disagreed it would cause a problem.
He told the BBC: “Under international law, the UK would automatically become an independent coastal state with the rights and responsibilities of that status and there is an obligation under the UN Law of the Sea for countries that share stocks to co-operate.
“So I think there will be a fisheries agreement post-Brexit between the UK and the EU, but on a different basis from the Common Fisheries Policy.”
A government spokesperson confirmed the email had been sent beyond its intended recipients inadvertently.
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“Britain is leaving the EU on 31 October with or without a deal,” they said.
“We are confident that we will have the ships and the expertise we need to properly enforce security in UK waters.”