Michel Barnier 'did his utmost to stop Brexit' says Farage

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A number of fishing associations have voiced concern about overfishing in UK waters, issuing a statement alongside the New Economic Foundation, Angling Trust and Greenpeace UK. They are demanding supertrawlers over 100 metres in size – and bottom brawlers – are banned from Britain’s 10 designated Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

In a statement, Greenpeace UK said: “Fishers along the south and east coasts have had their livelihoods devastated after years of unchecked industrial fishing by pulse trawlers, supertrawlers and fly-shooters.

“This has severely depleted fish populations, particularly in inshore waters, leaving some local fishers with nothing left to catch.

“Less than one-third of key UK fish populations are in a healthy state.

“Supertrawlers, all of which are EU owned, spend thousands of hours fishing in UK waters annually, including in marine protected areas.

“Supertrawler fishing times in UK marine protected areas increased by 1,000 percent between 2017 and 2020.”

In response, Express.co.uk readers are urging the Government to crack down on EU supertrawlers in UK waters, and protect the British fishing industry.

One wrote: “We need a Government that gives a damn.”

Another added: “Our Government MUST STOP large fishing vessels from our waters, to include fishing techniques seriously damaging stocks and our sea environment, NOT in the distant future but no later than October 1, 2021.

“This will give sufficient notice to these vessels not to be in designated areas or suffer being impounded/fined.”

A third wrote: “No good expecting Boris to do anything.

“He hasn’t got the guts to stop a rubber boat.

“The French have been taking the mickey for years because we haven’t had a leader with a backbone since Thatcher.”

A fourth said: “Boris finds it easy to screw the pensioners.

“But when it comes to screwing the French Boris is behind the sofa.”

Earlier this week, the Government announced the state pension triple lock will be abandoned for this year, breaking a manifesto promise.

Under its terms, British pensions increase by inflation, the average wage increase of 2.5 percent – whichever is highest.

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However, the coronavirus pandemic return to work has caused average earnings to surge, with an estimated increase of eight percent from May to July 2021.

The Government argues this makes maintaining the triple lock unaffordable this year.

They’ve also boosted national insurance by 1.25 percent, to pay fund social care and the NHS.

Under the terms of Boris Johnson’s Brexit trade deal, EU vessels will be able to access UK waters until at least 2026.

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From that point they could theoretically be excluded, but this would risk retaliatory tariffs from Brussels.

Jerry Percy, director of the New Under 10s Fishermen’s Association, explained how EU vessels are damaging the British fishing fleet.

He said: “The small scale coastal fleet that the Government has sworn to protect is now forced to watch their present and future livelihoods being destroyed in front of their eyes.

“Firstly by the huge fleet of powerful EU owned fly-shooters that inexplicably have had all catch limits removed for their target species, and, secondly, by massive EU midwater trawlers reducing the resilience of stocks in the Channel to the impact of climate change whilst threatening dolphin and porpoise populations.”
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