EU deal falls ‘far short’ say fishermen

THE UK and EU have agreed on a ‘large part’ of the agreement that will lead to the ‘orderly withdrawal’ of the UK.
Brexit negotiators Michel Barnier and David Davis said they had agreed terms for a transition period, calling the announcement a ‘decisive step’, the BBC reported.
The transitional period is set to last from March 29, 2019, to December 2020, and is intended to smooth the path to a future permanent relationship.
But Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen\’s Federation, said the agreement for fishing during the implementation period fell ‘far short of an acceptable deal’.
‘We will leave the EU and leave the CFP, but hand back sovereignty over our seas a few seconds later.
‘Our fishing communities’ fortunes will still be subject to the whim and largesse of the EU for another two years.
‘Put simply, we do not trust them to look after us. So we issue this warning to the EU: be careful what you do or the consequences later will be severe.
‘To our politicians we say this: some have tried to secure a better deal but our governments have let us down.
‘As a consequence, we expect a written, cast iron guarantee that after the implementation period, sovereignty will mean sovereignty and we will not enter into any deal which gives any other nation or the EU continued rights of access or quota other than those negotiated as part of the annual coastal states negotiations.’
Picture: Bertie Armstrong