Objectives | Fishing for Leave

Brexit creates a golden opportunity to regain 60% of the UK’s fisheries resources and rejuvenate a multi-billion pound industry for the nation - becoming as sustainable and successful as Norway, Iceland and Faroe.

Fishing for Leave was formed to highlight the potential of UK fisheries and ensure a brighter future for our industry.

Founded to campaign for UK withdrawal from the EU, to regain control and repatriate the majority of British fisheries resources when no other industry body would speak on this vital decision.

Fishing for Leave organised the Thames flotilla to highlight the plight of the fishing industry and took it’s cry for a better future to the heart of government.

FFLs aim was also to ensure that the potential UK withdrawal presents is realised and not jeopardised in the extrication process for a minority of vested interests.

Although June the 23^rd was a great and historic day it was merely a signal of intent – Brexit must now mean Brexit.

As our purpose remains, we will continue to pursue our objectives undaunted and fight to ensure this golden opportunity of a brighter future is realised.

To ensure the UK withdraws from the EU, ensuring the restoration and repatriation of national control over UK (EEZ) and all waters and marine resources therein as per international law – with the treaties and CFP ceasing to apply as per Article 50.
To ensure the UK regains and retains all fisheries resources and they are not not squander as negotiating capital in the extrication process – fishing was ‘expendable’ on accession and must not be on withdrawal.
To highlight and ensure the benefits and potential of these resources are realized to rebuild and rejuvenate the UK industry and communities and that a future UK fisheries management policy is environmentally and economically fit for purpose and benefits all the industry.
To ensure a new policy is inclusive of all the industry and communities and does not continue with the untenable CFP for vested interests. Future policy must recognise the unique UK demersal mixed fisheries, address the cause of discards, quotas, not ban the symptoms and demonetarising entitlements to halt consolidation and allow rejuvenation.

The industry has been forced into continual decline and consolidation. This cannot be continued for vested interests and those who have become institutionalised by the CFP - we must look to the long term of the next forty years not four and seize this golden opportunity to rejuvenate and revive.