Is anyone concerned about the inevitable French fishing boat anger.after Brexit.

BurnitBlue

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I recall a series of rammings against British flagged boats a few years ago around Brittany by French fishermen. I cannot remember why. Maybe fishing quotas. On January 1st 2021 they will lose their unlimited access to the North Sea. Lucky for us that the crunch ban on unlicensed fishing will peak in middle winter when most British yachts will be tucked away ashore. Maybe the fishermen will have calmed down by Spring.
 

Seven Spades

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There are two things the truth and what is in the papers. The French want us to cede forever the rights to our fishjing grounds so that the quoters are pre-Brexit in perputity. The British want to licence the Europeans annually and retain the rights to change the quotas. Despite what you read in the papers it seems highly unlikely that the French and other Europeans are going to be banned from our fishing grounds.

So the answer to your question is no.


On a personal note I think it would be a great thing if we banned 100% of non UK flagged vessels from fishing in our waters for environmental reasons. It would allow our fishing grounds to recover. The loss of mackerel, herring, cod and haddock is terrible. A few years dispute where no one could fish would be amazing it would also help the larger sea animals. I remember the fuss being made about Russian factory ships in the 70's but the fish stock at that time was amazing. You could see the huge shoals of mackerel and bass swimming into the bays in Devon. I remember standing shoulder to shoulder with fishermen along the promenade at Paignton spinning desperately trying to catch my supper.
 

Sharky34

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I recall a series of rammings against British flagged boats a few years ago around Brittany by French fishermen. I cannot remember why. Maybe fishing quotas. On January 1st 2021 they will lose their unlimited access to the North Sea. Lucky for us that the crunch ban on unlicensed fishing will peak in middle winter when most British yachts will be tucked away ashore. Maybe the fishermen will have calmed down by Spring.
Surely our RN will prevent any such bad behaviour.
 

Greemble

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If they're angry, that tells me the government is doing it right. I'd only be concerned if they weren't angry, which they certainly weren't while May was negotiating.
Upsetting your opposite number really isn't a good way to negotiate.
In fact, it's a really good way to ensure no-one else wants to have any dealing with you in future.



Why do I need to explain this? :rolleyes:
 

KompetentKrew

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The British want to licence the Europeans annually and retain the rights to change the quotas.
I believe it was a British court that determined fishing quotas to be property. UK Assocation of Fish Producer Organisations vs the Secretary of State? PDF

Any French vessel with British fishing rights bought them fair and square on the open market. A bit like how you or I might buy a flat in Spain. After quotas were allocated to British fishermen they were allowed to sell or lease them - many skippers used this as a retirement asset.
 

Quiddle

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Not in the slightest. The Breton fishermen are lovely people.
When did you last encounter them? I've kept my boat in Brittany since 2013 and the increasing antipathy of the French to Brits is obvious. Marina staff who speak perfect English now frown and shrug when a Brit starts up a conversation without attempting French. I was insulted by two drunk fisherman in L'Aber Wrach before I'd said a word whilst my Irish crew was warmly welcomed. Brits will end up as welcome as Germans in Greece: tolerated for their money and reviled behind their backs.
 

jordanbasset

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I believe it was a British court that determined fishing quotas to be property. UK Assocation of Fish Producer Organisations vs the Secretary of State? PDF

Any French vessel with British fishing rights bought them fair and square on the open market. A bit like how you or I might buy a flat in Spain. After quotas were allocated to British fishermen they were allowed to sell or lease them - many skippers used this as a retirement asset.


And such property is subject to eminent domain... just pointing out the obvious yet easily missed.

So do you think Spain will unilaterally seize British property in Spain under eminent domain?
Not sure how Britain will feel about that, I suspect about the same that France and other EU countries will feel if their citizen's legally bought and paid for fishing quotas were seized from them
 

BurnitBlue

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When did you last encounter them? I've kept my boat in Brittany since 2013 and the increasing antipathy of the French to Brits is obvious. Marina staff who speak perfect English now frown and shrug when a Brit starts up a conversation without attempting French. I was insulted by two drunk fisherman in L'Aber Wrach before I'd said a word whilst my Irish crew was warmly welcomed. Brits will end up as welcome as Germans in Greece: tolerated for their money and reviled behind their backs.
I met a French seaman in Greece last year. He genuinly considered the North Sea to be European and that Britain (in particular the English) were trying to steal the whole area. I imagine the French press no doubt were stoking this attitude if the British press coverage on this subject was an indication.
 

BurnitBlue

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So do you think Spain will unilaterally seize British property in Spain under eminent domain?
Not sure how Britain will feel about that, I suspect about the same that France and other EU countries will feel if their citizen's legally bought and paid for fishing quotas were seized from them
I would think that fishing quotas were time limited as well as limited in weight of caught fish and not everlasting.

British property in Spain is no doubt leasehold and a rent paid to an owner. I beleive the State has ultimate say about the use that land is put to.
 

MapisM

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On a personal note I think it would be a great thing if we banned 100% of non UK flagged vessels from fishing in our waters for environmental reasons.
It would allow our fishing grounds to recover.
And how should the flag affect that, exactly?
If you want your fishing ground to recover, you should ban vessels from fishing regardless of their flag, surely.
Or at least limit quantities, but ALSO to UK flagged vessels, otherwise what's the point? :unsure:
 
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