So long and thanks for all the fish: Irish fishermen say UK Brexit position could spell 'unmitigated disaster'

A fishing boat at work in the English Channel, after the UK left the European Union in January. Image: PA A fishing boat at work in the English Channel, after the UK left the European Union in January. Image: PA THE DISPUTE ABOUT fisheries is a major issue in Brexit talks.

As it currently stands, the UK is still in the transition period, meaning it’s still abiding by the EU fishing rules of the Common Fisheries Policy. This dictates that EU fishing fleets have access to the 6-12 nautical mile limit around each country’s coast, and neighbouring countries have access to the 0-6 mile zone.

“We’ve the jewel in the future of European waters: our fish, they come to spawn here, they go to the juvenile stage and they swim off to all the other countries.” Murphy insisted a fisheries agreement must remain part of the trade talks agenda. Sean O’Donoghue, CEO of the Killybegs Fisherman’s Organisation in Co Donegal, agrees.

The UK vessels do fish quite a bit in our waters, but we fish more in their waters than they do in ours. He said that if we lost access to UK waters, it would halve the value of the seafood sector in two years.

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