Officials have hired extra ships to help the Royal Navy’s Fishery Protection Squadron (FPS) patrol the waters off the UK coast. The move comes after Boris Johnson left Brussels in no doubt of the UK’s position when he declared: “British fishing grounds are first and foremost for British boats.” 

British fishing grounds are first and foremost for British boats

Boris Johnson

The Portsmouth-based FPS fleet is currently made up of four River-class offshore patrol vessels and a helicopter.

Its ships patrol 80,000 square miles of sea off Britain protecting the country’s fishing rights.

The FPS has a secondary role carrying out inspections of all fishing boats in UK waters and acting as an arbitrator between rival vessels when disputes arise.

According to politico.eu, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has lined up two extra vessels to bolster the FPS patrols and and keep out unlicensed fishing boats.

It has also earmarked a further 22 boats that can be deployed at short notice and recruited an extra 35 enforcement officers with the power to issue search warrants.

The FPS said: “It’s the job of the Royal Navy’s Fishery Protection Squadron to patrol the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone, preventing overfishing and plundering by foreign vessels and enforcing fishing quotas.

“Fishing rights have always been an emotive and politically sensitive issue – and in the wake of Brexit, fishery protection will be more important than ever.”

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Regaining control of Britain’s rich fishing waters was a totemic issue for many Brexit campaigners before the country formally left the bloc last Friday.

But the EU has some leverage with many British fishing communities rely heavily on selling to EU markets, particularly for shellfish.

Mr Johnson has told the EU the Government is ready to consider an agreement with Brussels but stressed: “It must reflect the fact that the UK will be an independent coastal state from the end of this year, controlling our own waters.

“Under such an agreement there would be annual negotiations with the EU, using the latest scientific data, ensuring British fishing grounds are first and foremost for British boats.”

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The EU’s draft negotiating mandate calls for “reciprocal access” for fishing vessels and states a free trade area with no tariffs or quotas was contingent on a “level playing field ensured through robust commitments”.

Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier said: “It’s clear that the agreement that we wish to have in the interests of UK fishermen and in the interests of European fishermen – I call that reciprocal access to our territorial waters and our markets – that agreement on fisheries will be inextricably linked to the trade agreement.

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way, but we are constrained by the decision, if it’s confirmed, of Boris Johnson to leave the single market and the customs union at the end of this year.”

Express.co.uk has approached Defra for a comment.

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