Seaspiracy: George Monbiot and Terri Portmann clash on fishing

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The backlash comes ahead of Cornwall’s crunch council elections next month. The Conservatives are currently the largest party in the Cornish council chamber but are facing wavering support due to a fishing backlash. Fishermen in Cornwall are disappointed by the UK-EU trade agreement that came into force in January.

The agreement still allows European boats to fish in British waters until at least 2026.

Fishermen in Cornwall have said the deal damaged their tight-knit fishing communities with crippling red tape and delays over exports to the continent.

Border hold-ups and new EU regulations, such as the need to purify shellfish for export, have led to large consignments of produce being left to rot.

Speaking to the Guardian, Cornish fisherman Michael Bosustow said: “We are dying out here.

“We are all getting older and there aren’t enough youngsters following us.

“We could have got more fish and created a better future for the youngsters.

“It’s a missed opportunity.”

He has said he will not be supporting the Tories during the 6 May council elections.

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He said: “We are not going to forget when it comes to voting time.

“I don’t feel like the Conservatives deserve my vote at the moment.”

Another Cornish fisherman, Brackan Pearce, said the Conservative Party “lied to us”.

He added: “They’ve used us to get Brexit.

“Without the boats going up the Thames, Brexit would never have happened.”

Speaking about the current post-Brexit fishing deal he said: “It’s a complete sellout.

“It’s a betrayal.

“The deal we have got is lose-lose.

“We have got friction at the borders and EU fishing boats have still got access to our waters.

“I can’t vote Conservative.”

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