The Rape of the Seas may well continue to plague the South West:

I have been much troubled by the recent predatory interest in the British fishing waters by the EU. It seems to be a precursor to the renewal of the environmentally obscene practices being pursued in the continuing rape of the seas by the Common Fisheries Policy (which still insists on wastefully sending by-catch back into the sea as dead throw back).

I wrote to the Minister responsible, Michael Gove, on the subject, telling him if Teresa May goes for a form of hard Brexit that involves stepping out of the Common Fisheries Policy, then it could mean, over the longer term, a revival of Newlyn and Brixham’s fortunes as fishing ports. I felt that now is the time to lobby for an environmentally friendly fishing policy for Britain, with no take zones on the sand banks that are the fish breeding grounds, and limits on the size of boats that can work inshore, e.g. no fishing boats under ten metres inside ten miles. The present fishing policy with the throwing back of dead fish over quota is disheartening.

I think that in view of the recent statements from Europe, Michael Gove’s reply, which is not particularly encouraging when you read between the lines, might be worth sharing. It was sent to my London office address. It is below. The full text of my letter to the Minister is below that:

Gove letter page one and Gove letter page two

The original letter sent to The Right Honourable Michael Gove MP was dated 25 October 2017:

Dear Michael

I note your strong stance on the British fishing industry a propos of Brexit and that was what I wanted to send you a note about. I come from the South West where the fishing ports like Brixham, Newlyn and St Ives continue to limp along. They have been put through the mangle by the European Union and it has been harsh indeed.

I have been talking to some of the fishermen. There are two policies they might like imposed unilaterally by Britain, Brexit or no Brexit. They are:

1. No take Zones to allow fish stocks to recover. These are there the pockets of sea around Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel, Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran and Flamborough Head in Yorkshire. Together they occupy a grand total of 0.01% of British waters. These are the country’s only “no take zones”: places in which fishing and other extractive activities are banned. Some fishermen in the South West would like no take zones extended to all the major sand banks. For example the Nash Bank in the Bristol Channel. I won’t attempt to list them as your department will know them. These are the fish breeding grounds. Protecting these would help so very much.
2. Ten metres / ten miles. If boats over ten metres in length could be restricted to fishing outside the ten mile limit it would be sensational. On one or two occasions I have seen beam trawlers in Newlyn trawling illegally almost right into harbour. So some sort of enforcement would be needed ideally. But if all big boats were kept outside the ten mile limit it would make a great difference to our fish stocks.

Were these two measures undertaken in the context of Brexit we would no longer need a quota system in my view. They would make such a difference.

Just wanted to share the thought

Yours ever

William Morris LLD, Secretary General, The Next Century Foundation