One aspect of membership of the EU that most of us have always found very hard to defend has been the Common Fisheries Policy - under which lots of other countries have been allowed to fish in UK waters, discarding dead fish caught over quota.
Michael Gove recently set out in a White Paper the government’s thoughts on fishing after Brexit. You can see it in detail https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fisheries-white-paper-sustainable-fisheries-for-future-generations but the key points are:
* How the UK can take back control of our seas:
* Ensure that more of the fish in our waters are caught by UK boats and benefit fishing communities across our country:
* Make our future fishing policies more sustainable, protecting and enhancing marine habitats, in line with the goals of the government’s 25-year Environment Plan:
* Outlaw damaging practices such as the ban on discarding fish caught over quota.
All this is intended to lead to a plan which works for the benefit of the industry and the environment - which is as it should be.
