DEFRA has published its ‘Fisheries white paper: sustainable fisheries for future generations’, which lays out the Government’s vision for the marine environment and the fishing industry in a post-Brexit Britain.
The paper outlines how the Government will negotiate fishing quotas annually after 2020, when the UK will become ‘an independent coastal state’, explaining that the Government seeks to move away from the Common Fisheries Policy’s current principle of ‘relative stability’ to a ‘fairer and more scientific method’. The Government reiterates its commitment to preserving the marine environment, sustainable fishing and existing agreements and regulations.
Heritage is not considered in the paper beyond Environment Secretary, Michael Gove’s statement in his foreword that ‘Our seas and oceans are an integral part of our history, economy and way of life’. This was particularly clear in section 2.7 – ‘Protecting our marine environment’ – which focuses exclusively on steps to protect ecosystems, without reference to that environment’s historic importance. Similarly, section 3.3 – Supporting Coastal Communities – doesn’t acknowledge the contribution marine and fishing heritage can make to local prosperity. The Heritage Alliance intends to publish a report addressing some of these issues shortly.