Brexit fishing deal 'fell short' of expectations, UK Government minister admits

The Brexit fishing deal “fell short” of expectations, a UK Government minister has admitted.

Environment secretary George Eustice told a House of Lords committee “it's fair to say that we didn't get everything that we wanted on fishing".

He said: "It's also the case that we knew we wouldn't get to where we wanted to end up with zonal attachment and instead what you needed to aim for was year-on-year gains.

"It is the case that we argued with the EU that there should be larger year-on-year gains in that period, of course. That was our publicly stated position and what we argued for right through to the end of the negotiations.

The Brexit fishing deal “fell short” of expectations, UK Government minister George Eustice has admitted.

"I think the reality is, this is an important, significant step in the right direction, where there is a significant uplift in shares, as a quid pro quo around granting continued access to the European Union.

"So while I appreciate that it's probably short of what the industry would have hoped in terms of a sharing arrangement after five years, it nevertheless represents a big step in the right direction."

During a visit to Scotland last week, Boris Johnson had re-asserted his belief there would be “colossal quantities of fish” for Scottish boats when his new deal with Europe ends in 2026.

However, the deal that saw the EU fishing quota in UK waters reduced by 15 per cent in the first year and 2.5 percentage points each year thereafter has been roundly criticised by the Scottish fishing industry.

Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael claimed the comments would be met with “disbelief” by fishermen.

He said: “It is a brazen attempt to deny the promises that were made by Boris Johnson and George Eustice to the fishing industry.

"Fishing communities, like the one Mr Eustice himself represents, will not allow the Conservatives to walk away as easily as this.

“As many fishermen have already pointed out – though Eustice clearly cannot be bothered to listen to them – this is no ‘big step’ forward.

"If Eustice and Johnson were too weak-willed to deliver on their promises in December, why should anyone believe that they will deliver in five years’ time?”

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