4 July 2017
The Federation has today received the following letter from the Secretary of State, Michael Gove:
Barrie Deas
National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations
30 Monkgate
York
YO31 7PF
3rd July 2017
Dear Barrie
I am writing to inform you that, as part of our wider process of becoming an independent Coastal State and controlling UK waters when the UK leaves the EU, the UK will be withdrawing from the London Fisheries Convention. Accordingly the Foreign Secretary has today given formal notice to the depository for the Convention.
This will mean that when we leave the EU we are fully able to control access to UK waters and will have a ‘clean slate’ for our negotiations with the EU on a future fisheries agreement in which we will seek to secure the best possible deal for the seafood sector across all parts of the UK.
The Government is committed to demonstrating that the UK will be a responsible Coastal State and to working with the EU and others to guarantee the sustainable management of fish stocks, in accordance with our rights and obligations under international law including the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea. We are therefore open to negotiating access to our waters as part of an overall agreement on fisheries, but this will be a matter for negotiation and in future be with our consent rather than as of right.
Best wishes
Michael Gove MP
Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs