Danish fishing has been left fuming after the UK Government slapped a ban on North Sea sandeel fishing. Photo: Marine Ingrediants Denmark
UK Abandons Brexit Agreement, Bans Fishing in British Waters
The Danish fishing industry has been left fuming after the government in the United Kingdom announced a ban on fishing sandeel in English waters of the North Sea (Area 4).
With Scotland set to follow suit with a ban on sandeel fishing in its water, the Danish Fishermen’s Association (DFA) and the Danish Pelagic Producers’ Organisation (DPPO) and Marine Ingredients Denmark, have condemned the ban alleging that the UK is in contravention of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).
In a joint press release today the Danish organisations lashed out saying:
“When the EU and Great Britain reached an agreement on the conditions for Brexit, it was a decisive element that EU fishermen could continue to fish in British waters.
“An element that EU fishermen paid dearly to get Britain to agree to.
“The UK is now running from that agreement, and will ban fishing for sandeel on the British part of the Dogger Bank from 26 March this year.”
The group say the UK justifies the closure as a measure to protect birdlife, but the Danish claim there is no scientific evidence supporting the idea that the closure will have the desired effect.
This decision has sparked outrage in the fishing industry, which points out that it is a significant and principled problem if the UK can walk away from the Brexit agreement without consequences.
“This is a humiliation for the EU. With the Brexit agreement, Danish fishermen paid dearly for access to British waters. Now, the UK is breaking the agreement. It is beyond criticism. Therefore, this issue should be raised at the highest level, as it cannot be right for the UK to simply abandon the agreements they make with the EU, especially when there is no scientific basis,” says Svend-Erik Andersen, Chairman of the Danish Fishermen’s Association.
Danish Government Must Fight Back
Denmark lands approximately 100,000 tons of sandeel annually, valued at over DKK 300 million (€40m/£34m), from the affected area. This closure claims the Danish organisation, will have noticeable economic consequences for the fishing industry, and therefore, the government must not fold on the issue, according to Jens Schneider Rasmussen, Chairman of the Danish Pelagic Producer Organisation.
“The closure will have significant negative economic consequences for Danish fisheries. Brexit has already hit us hard. We simply cannot afford that. Therefore, we urge the top ministers of the government to contact the UK and the EU. Every stone must be turned, and we must fight to the end,” says Jens Schneider Rasmussen.
Brexit Agreement Must Be Upheld
The closure not only affects fishing but also has consequences for the fish oil and fishmeal industry.
Landings of sandeel from the British area have formed the basis for Danish exports of fish oil and fishmeal totalling DKK 2.7 billion (€362m/£309m) since 2015.
“It is serious if the EU and EU heads of state let the UK break their agreement. It is a very critical situation. There are significant values at stake for Denmark, and it is our clear conviction that this is a violation of the agreement’s wording, which stipulates mutual access to fishing in the parties’ waters. The legal implications of the British decision should be thoroughly examined, and the possibilities for legal action clarified,” says Anne Mette Bæk, CEO of Marine Ingredients Denmark.
No Scientific Basis
DTU Aqua has conducted an evaluation of sandeel fishing and concluded that there are no lasting negative effects of sandeel fishing on the marine environment. DTU Aqua also concludes that the size of the sandeel stock does not affect other fish stocks, marine mammal populations, or seabird populations.
Recently, the UK and the EU jointly asked the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) to assess the importance of the sandeel stock as a food source for seabirds. ICES responded to this task in November 2023 by stating that the biological advice for sandeel is ecosystem-based and thus takes into account that sandeel also constitutes part of the food base for seabirds and other predators. Therefore, says the group, it is puzzling that the results of this assessment are being disregarded.
Source: Press Release
