Fishing, Hastings and the European Union

The fishing fleet that works from the Stade in Hastings is one of the oldest fishing fleets in the country, the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in Europe, and also famous for its unique and 'listed' tall black huts that were originally used to dry nets, and now used for storage. But what of Britain and its fishing relationship with other European countries, was being part of the Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union (EU) the first time Britain entered into agreements with other countries? 

Well, unsurprisingly, no it wasn't, indeed Britain came to an agreement called the North Sea Fisheries Convention as long ago as 1888, an agreement with Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and the Netherlands, that allowed each country to fish in each other's waters to within 3 miles of respective coastlines. 

However, Britain wasn't happy with this agreement many years later and withdrew in 1963, subsequently instigating the 1964 London Fisheries Convention, signed by the same countries, plus a few others, which allowed each country to fish within each other's waters between 6 and 12 miles from respective coastlines. I wrote about this convention and when Britain submitted its 2 years notice to leave in this blog from 2017.

Since then, of course, Britain joined the EEC in 1973, subsequently becoming the EU, and the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which seeks to ensure environmental, economic and social sustainability that fosters a dynamic fishing industry and ensuring a fair standard of living for fishing communities (European Parliament website). It also allows each country to fish between 12 and 200 miles from each other's coasts. 

By 2009 the EU sought to reform the CFP, following a wide-ranging public debate on the way fisheries were managed. A new Common Fisheries Policy came into effect from the 1st of January 2014, and which included policies that particularly effected Hastings fishing industry (European Union website), that is, firstly, to bring in sensible steps to prevent already caught fish having to be discarded. 

Secondly, to bring in quotas to prevent over-fishing and ensure sustainability of fishing stock. This has been very contentious in Hastings, indeed, for the smaller fishing boats and local sustainability, and part of the reason why Greenpeace came to Town in 2015 (blog). It also contributed to anti-EU feeling and Ukip inspired protests like the above demonstration in 2018 (blog).

However, as explained in my Greenpeace blog, and the point was made at that meeting by Paul Joy (NUTFA) too, the job to divide quotas, indeed, to fight within Europe to exclude Under Ten Metre Fishing Boats from quotas, as they had previously been (before 2015), was the British Government and Defra's responsibility, not the EU's. Indeed, the new Common Fisheries Policy (website) states that "Small scale vessel owners would need to receive the right quota mix from national administrations."

So what did Defra do? Well, they gave only 4% of the allocated fishing quotas (blog) to the smaller, and more sustainable, fishing fleets, which make up 80% of British fishing boats... Consequently, this allowed for 96% of quotas to go to larger fishing boats/businesses, and, surprise surprise, over half of Britain's fishing quota has been sold off to foreign fishing boats, although this had been happening already (BBC), for example, 55% of the annual value of catches in 2019!

So, what will British fishing fleets, including the Hastings fishing fleet, gain in coming years? Well, the ability to fish 3 nautical miles from other country's coasts allowed between 1888 and 1963 is no more. The ability to fish 12 miles from other coastlines allowed from 1964 has disappeared already as we left the London Fisheries Convention very recently. Now we will not have agreement to fish between 12 and 200 miles from other coasts either, oops, but as I explained in my blog, neither will EU fishing boats have rights to fish in British waters. We may need to reach agreements...

Oh yes, and approximately 90% of Hastings' catch is sold to Europe...

Plus Defra will still be in control of whatever quotas British governments allocate over the years, experience reminds us that for years they've favoured the 'Big Boys' 😬

Sole Political Party and they Skate around the truth!

I've written about the local Hastings fishing industry, the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), Greenpeace, and the Government and Defra many times over the last 3 and a half years, indeed, since writing this blog. The article written in the latest edition of the Hastings Independent (issue 110), "Stormy Waters," has the support of someone from the Marine Management Organisation saying much of what I keep repeating... That it has not been the European Union and the CFP that has "stitched up" fishermen using boats under 10 metres long, such as are used by the Hastings fishing fleet, but our own Government and Defra, the "bulk of the (British fishing) quota was given to big boats." Indeed, 80% of the British fishing industry uses smaller boats, but were allocated only 4% of the British catch by Defra! This was supported by the Hastings Fishermen spokesperson at that Greenpeace meeting back in March 2015...

Now I have had a publication delivered to me from the local Conservative Party (Hastings and Borough Matters) that, quite frankly, has distorted the truth, blaming the CFP for harming "our Fishermen in Hastings and Rye" and that the CFP has "been a failure" completely ignoring the fact that Defra is the true culprit! As I reported last year (blog), we have given notice to quit the London Fisheries Convention, signed in 1964, which will mean that when we have left the EU, we can police the waters between 6 and 12 miles from our shores, preventing other signatories from fishing in those waters, similarly, British fishing boats will not be allowed to fish in other signatories' waters, something that Michael Gove has boasted as "taking back control of our waters" and that "the future will be bright" for the local fishing industry.

Of course, far from being the 'champion' of the local fishing industry that Gove says she was, and our MP has certainly campaigned for reform of the CFP, though even when she was in Cabinet, and when she must have had some political clout surely, nothing ever changed regarding the allocation to Under Ten Metre fishing fleets; with the larger boats still getting preference from Defra and continuing to receive 96% of the catch in Britain's allocation (see New Under Ten Fishermens Association NUTFA website too). Oh yes, and who is the Minister in charge of Defra? Our great new friend the Secretary of State, Michael Gove!

With many thanks to the Hastings Independent for the photograph above of Gove's recent visit... Oh yes, and fat chance that the Defra position will ever favour the Under Ten Metre fishing boats as they have consistently favoured the big boys! So, don't hold your collective breath, Hastings.



Hastings Fishing Boats Protest!

Well, it's again with thanks to our wonderful roving photographer that these images from the weekend's fishing industry protest can be shared, cheers Marcus!

In a carefully staged campaign around the country, protests were held by about 200 fishing boats at the same time in Whitstable, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Milford Haven and Newcastle, as well as in Hastings, aggrieved by what they consider to be an 'abject betrayal' by the Government over Brexit effectively being extended until the end of 2010, despite the referendum being in June 2016, nearly 2 years ago!

Boats came to join Hastings fishing boats from many ports including Rye, Newhaven, Eastbourne, Folkestone and Colchester. Essentially angry that, despite promises from Brexiteers in Ukip and the Tory Party that British coastal waters would be brought under the control of the British Government, that there had been no movement yet, and didn't look like there would be any movement until 2021 at the earliest!

However, as I've alluded to many times since Greenpeace came to town 3 years ago (blog), the real problem for Under Ten Metre Fishing Boats such as in Hastings (nearly 80% of British fishing boats are allowed only 4% of the total British catch!), which carry out sustainable fishing, was actually the British Government and Defra pandering to the 'bigger boys' and their larger trawlers, which carry out unsustainable fishing. Indeed, Defra even allowing them to sell off some of their rights to foreign vessels!

The Right-wing businessman and xenophobe, Arron Banks, who funds Ukip and made a huge financial contribution towards the 'Leave' campaign, appears to have been a spokesperson for the weekend's protests and is scaremongering yet again, asserting that the EU will attempt to "cull what is left of the British (fishing) industry" and that we are "staring down the barrel of a gun with this transition deal."

Meanwhile Defra have contradicted Banks, asserting that it had already negotiated with the EU, and that the British share of the common fisheries catch would not be reduced over the transition period, which is about "delivering a smooth and orderly Brexit."

So who do we believe? Personally I wouldn't trust either of them! Certainly not a major political funder and businessman who has his own agenda... Nor Defra, who have appeared to have been under the thrall of the large trawler fishing fleets elsewhere in Britain, and who have not supported the New Under Ten Fishermens Association (NUTFA website), and certainly not supported the sustainable fishing policy promised by the Coastal Champions 5-point action plan (blog) signed up to by our MP, the Member of Parliament for Hastings & Rye, 3 years ago!

The only thing I can add is, watch this space...

Sustainable Fishing: Greenpeace comes to town...

I was working elsewhere when the Greenpeace fishing boat 'Rising Tide' landed in Hastings, but got to the Fishermens' Beach well before the public meeting started to take a few photographs of their boat.

I also discovered that the public meeting was being held in the East Hastings Sea Angling Association bar, soon after I discovered that the upstairs area above the 'Classroom by the Coast' is a tad too small to hold such a meeting! Anyway, there was a very good turn-out, indeed, though my photographs don't do this justice because most people weren't in line with my images, as the camera lens was pointing directly at the politicians.

There were the General Election candidates from the Labour, LibDems, Greens and the Ukip parties all present, Sara Owen, Nick Perry, Jake Bowers and Andrew Michael, and, because she was tied up in Parliament, hopefully not literally or another scandal could emerge (he says with a wink in his eye), a recording of the Conservative candidate, and current incumbent, Amber Rudd. They all agreed with the Greenpeace 5 point action plan, of course, though the Ukip man hummed and haa-ed before agreeing to do so, presumably for dramatic effect, as I'm sure he must have already known what he was going to do, wasn't he? Better than getting lynched by the Hastings fishing community!  

I'd already signed their petition on-line a couple of weeks go, but I perused the other literature and badges that Greenpeace brought with them before the talking began; I also signed a 'pennant', all of which are to be given to the Fishing Minister by Greenpeace, together with the petition, after the tour is completed.

As you can see above, Paul Joy represented the local fishing industry and the New Under Ten Fishermens Association (website) as spokesperson, as one would expect, and provided much technical information, and less the warm fuzzy feelings candidates expressed, about the realities of small boat fishing and how the larger boats/fishing industry work. The problem is not to do with the Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union, so much, as in how British governments have divided up the British share between the small and larger fleets; ie nearly 80% of fishing boats, the smaller ones as in Hastings fleet, are only allowed 4% of the allocated catch!    

The joint mission of Greenpeace and the NUTFA is to get politicians to sign up as 'Coastal Champions', promoting their five point action plan, in the run up to the General Election:

• Give local, sustainable boats a fair share of quota
• Restore fish stocks by rewarding selective fishing methods
• Protect the ocean in a way that benefits local fishermen and coastal communities
• Give local, sustainable boats priority access to coastal waters 
• Make sure small scale fishermen are represented at the highest level in Europe

For more information go to Greenpeace 'Coastal Champions'.