The local fishing industry has many problems with the European Union, and justifiably so, particularly the ever decreasing fishing quotas being allocated, but I felt a wee bit concerned when I saw so many Ukip flags on the fishermen's beach yesterday. See below, where 3 flags are on show. Sorry the photograph is so poor, but it was damp, and, just when you want wind to fly the flags, it dropped, the 'law of sod' apparently!
Anyway, my mind went back to the excellent 5 or 10 minutes of the Jamie Oliver Channel 4 television programme at the end of January, when Tush Hamilton shared his knowledge of whole fish and their culinary delights with Jamie and Jimmy. Also, Tush and Paul Joy bemoaned the fact that the UK market has become obsessed with filleted fish, which also means wastage, and Paul explained that, consequently, 90% of his catch that morning, and 90% of the Hastings catch of whole fish generally, goes to Belgium or France via the local market (
Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast).
Now I'm wondering if supporting the UK leaving the EU isn't a wee bit myopic considering that amount of fish crossing the Channel? I'm sure that the French, Belgian and Dutch fishing fleets would scramble for the UK's share of fishing quotas, and that the UK's power to influence European fishing policy would be lost...
Shouldn't our MEPs and MPs be representing the interests of our fishing industry and fighting more forcefully within the EU, earning their keep, in effect, rather than sticking their heads in the sand, or, as is the habit of Ukip MEPs, not even turning up for debates (confirmed by EU records)? They then claim their salaries and allowances, paid for by the UK taxpayer, but fail to represent the people who voted them in, shame on them...
