GUTTED: FISHING INDUSTRY CHIEFS "AGGRIEVED" AT BREXIT DEAL

Scotland’s fishing fleets face cuts to valuable fishing catches such as cod and haddock under the deal negotiated by Westminster.

Analysis shows there will only be increases in the quota available for Scottish trawlers in five of 13 fishing areas around or close to Scotland, with clear falls in several of the largest such as North Sea cod.

Scotland's cabinet secretary for the rural economy, Fergus Ewing, said that despite UK government claims that their deal with the EU would greatly increase the catch for domestic trawlers, many fleets and ports will now see a negative impact on their ability to make a living. This is sad and “deeply troubling”, he said.

Most fisheries to see catches decreased

“Scottish coastal communities were told that any Brexit deal would mean a very large rise in fishing opportunities. In fact, for the key stocks that the industry depends on, there will actually be a reduction in the quantity of fish they can land.”

The analysis found that in six fisheries, the percentage of the quota available to UK fleets during the five-and-a-half year transition period will decrease, particularly for the most heavily fished species of cod, haddock and whiting.

 Those quotas include North Sea cod, one of the most valuable white fish fisheries, which would fall from 63.5% to 57% for the UK. North Sea haddock, another valuable fishery, would fall from 92.5% of the quota to 84.2%.

The analysis, which did not include financial or tonnage data, shows that quota would increase in five fisheries, including Irish Sea and west of Scotland haddock, where ironically UK government data shows that those fisheries are about two thirds smaller than their North Sea equivalents. Two other fisheries are to remain static.

Mr Ewing acknowledged that the UK’s quota for far larger and more valuable pelagic fisheries for herring and mackerel could see a slight increase.

Even so, he said, the fine detail of the deal showed that many of the apparent gains were either unrealisable because they were technical, or irrelevant because EU fleets were not catching their full quota allocation. The deal also means UK fleets are also tied into confinements where new legislation to be introduced means it will be illegal for them to swap quota with EU fleets.

Severe political consequences to pay

“The quota either being given up by the EU or negotiated as a win by the UK government is of no real worth or value to Scottish fishing interests,” Mr Ewing said. “This isn't me saying this, it's what industry bosses are saying.

“It's a terrible outcome for our coastal communities. The small gains in quota for mackerel and herring are far outweighed by the impact of losses of haddock, cod and saithe – and that threatens to harm onshore jobs and businesses too linked to harbours, fish markets and processing facilities.

“With members of the industry trying their best to impress upon members of the UK government the gravity of the situation and how serious it was for fishing fleets to be listened to this time, it was hoped we'd be sitting here with some change out of this whole Brexit deal, but it looks like we've been glad handed and let down once again.

“UK ministers will be aware that there will likely be very severe political consequences to pay for this, but it looks as though they're confident they can see it through. Time will tell.”

 
Related: Now Brexit is sealed, the details are slowly leaking out and Scots aren't happy

Deeply aggrieved

Mike Park, the chief executive of the Scottish White Fish Producers Association, said his members were “deeply aggrieved” about the immediate future. It was far from clear whether fleets would benefit greatly once the transition period was over.

“The issue of sovereignty and our future ability to negotiate additional shares after the five-and-a-half-year window would seem clouded by so much complexity that it is difficult at this time to see how the UK government can use its newly recovered sovereignty to improve the situation of my members,” he said.

Ted Heath moment

The National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations has condemned the deal as Boris Johnson’s “Ted Heath” moment, in reference to the then prime minister’s capitulation to the founding members of the European Community’s demand for access to British waters.

They say the UK team has jettisoned their interests and the deal does not stop French, Spanish trawlers fishing within six miles of the UK’s coastline.

The negotiating team denied this, saying the UK will regain sovereign control of British waters, albeit in 6 years time, provided they haven't bartered it away again by then, and they said this was “the diametric opposite of what happened in 1973”.