Prime Minister Boris Johnson will fly to Brussels today for talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to try and push negotiations in the direction of a deal. Major disagreements remain on fishing rights and trading competition, as the EU demands the UK keep its waters open to European fishermen and that Britain conforms to a level playing field on regulation. Minister Michael Gove said this morning there is a “smoother glidepath” to a trade deal after saying the Government would compromise on the Internal Market Bill – which threatened to see the UK break international law.
But, with fishing rights still causing stalemate, the issue could still result in a no deal Brexit.
French fishermen, who rely on British waters for much of their landing, have expressed fears over the loss of access.
For decades, French fishermen have caught 60 percent of their fish in UK waters, meaning Brexit could have a huge impact on their livelihoods.
Xavier Leduc, a trawlerman from Boulogne, told ITV news last month that he gets all of his catch from the UK grounds.
He said: “We are doing 100 percent of our activity in the British waters.
“The UK fishermen need also to have access to the European market, and the European fishermen need to keep access to their fishing rights.”
UK fishermen currently sell 80 percent of their catch in Europe, meaning a no deal Brexit could also hurt those north of the English Channel.
Olivier Lepetre, President of the Fishermen’s Union Northern France, warned that the UK’s fishermen could also pay the price for Brexit.
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Conservative Brexiteers, including Andrew Bridgen, have raged at the EU’s demands over fisheries and regulation.
The MP for North West Leicestershire told Express.co.uk last month: “It’s like someone renting a property off you, terminating the agreement, and then demanding they keep 80 percent of the back garden.
“Who is going to agree to that? That’s not how it works. It’s absurd.
“There is no court in the world the EU could go to that would uphold their right to keep our sovereign fishing grounds after the EU.”
