£333m Brexit deal: UK agrees annual fishing quotas with EU
The UK has today agreed its annual catch limits for the fishing industry with the EU, in a deal which the government said was worth £333m.
As a result of leaving the bloc, Britain will have to renegotiate its fishing quotas independently every year.
UK fisherman will be able to catch around 160,000 tonnes of fish in 2021, up 26,000 tonnes on 2020’s allocation.
That increase is worth about £27m to the industry, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said.
Environment secretary George Eustice said: “As we move forward as an independent coastal State, we have been steadfast in representing the interests of our industry and seeking to manage our fisheries more sustainably.
“This agreement provides certainty to our fishing industry and we now have a stable platform in place for managing our fisheries this year and in future years.”
Fishing rights have been one of the most divisive issues in the UK’s post-Brexit relationship with the EU.
Last month, the issue blew up when more than 60 French fishing boats created a blockade around the island of Jersey, leading Boris Johnson to send two Royal Navy gunboats to patrol the protest.
Emmanuel Macron, the French President, also sent naval vessels in response.
French fisherman were protesting the rate at which the UK is giving out licences to its fishermen.