To have zero sympathy for the fishing industry?

[AgeLikeWine]

The U.K. fishing industry voted overwhelmingly for Brexit ; 92% voted Leave according to a poll from June 2016 (source : The Guardian).

Now they are bleating about the massive logistical and administrative problems and delays that they are encountering in trying to export their catch into EU markets. Today, fish transportation companies have been driving their lorries around central London to protest about the situation.

But this is what they voted for : to ‘take back control of our waters’. They voted Leave in the full knowledge that most of the U.K. catch was exported to Europe, and that that would obviously be more difficult after Brexit, so they should suck it up & stop whinging.

I'm with you OP. They were all warned which was widely dismissed as 'project fear' by 'remoaners'. They've made their bed, let them lie in it.

Wasn’t that Tory fisheries minister minister too busy to read the final trade deal on fishing industry because she was organising her village nativity? Oh well...

They were lied to, as was the rest of the country over many things. But the off-shore fishing industry had been bleating on about the unfairness of the EU for ages (in-shore fisherman not so keen, in general) and wanted out of Europe because of that. The fact it was nowhere near as black and white as big, bad EU exploiting poor UK fisherman seemed to have largely escaped their notice, unfortunately.

Those in the fishing industry could have (and should have) applied some critical thinking to the issue. If they had, they may have seen the difficulties that would come with Brexit and the flaws in the arrangements that the Brexiteers were proposing. They could then have voted with the knowledge of the risks (and that may have meant still voting for Brexit in some/many cases). Instead, the were very hung ho to leave and at any cost. Now they are paying the costs of what they lobbied for. I have some sympathy for those who did not vote to leave. But the rest? No sympathy, they got what they voted for.

Guardian article seems useful.
All EU (not just France) had 60% of quota in UK waters.
UK vessels had 40% of the quota in UK waters.
This allocation was based on relative size of fleets when UK joined EEA (1973).

The benefit to UK of sharing that 60% was being able to easily flog their fish to EU & land their fish at any EU port. They threw this benefit away by voting for Brexit. They "knew what they were voting for."

But not so simple, 55% of the English quota is actually boats owned by companies based in Iceland, Spain and the Netherlands (?)

Scotland & England are very different, though... and I admit it's all clear as muck to me who owns what.

... in Scotland, which is responsible for about 60% of the UK quota, only 4% of the annual value in 2019 was in foreign hands. In Northern Ireland the figure was 2%.

"The Scottish fishing industry is largely made up of family-owned businesses," said Elspeth MacDonald, from the Scottish Fishermen's Federation.

It’s not the role of ordinary people to make decisions without access to the full information.
I imagine lots of Brexiters will be using a similar line to excuse themselves from the shitstorm they have brought upon us.

@DimidDavilby

fishermen are the same people who crowed and were pretty vile when the Eu vote went their way

Were they? How many fishermen do you know personally that were doing that?

It's a shitty situation, fishing is a heritage industry with a huge ammount of associated skill, indigenous knowledge and culture. Families will be out of work for the first time in many generations.

Fishermen were outright lied to by that Farage fuck, and then have been ignored ever since.

Yes. I for one will not be cheering if, a few years hence, all we can get is frozen fish in breadcrumbs.

If we want to continue enjoying fresh fish from the fishmonger we need to support our native fishers, not sneer at them.

Good place to read the outrage.

Another no sympathy vote here.
The information re. consequences were out there for anyone to observe, if they couldn't be arsed to take notice of the experts and query the bullshit they were told, tough, it was their choice!

Nope I don't have any sympathy for anyone who voted leave and whose business goes down the pan as a result of Brexit. That's what they voted for. That's what they got.

Every time I saw someone trying to explain how Brexit would end up costing them, the response was "Project Fear!!!". So I have no time for fishy whah whahs now.

This is how a feel. How I think though, is different. Years of lying media, lying politicians, shitty self-serving business and a lack of feeling for the important British industries (decades long) plus contempt for education has brought us here. People who don't understand politics, while being lied to, expected to make a vote on something they don't understand. When there is not a British history of informed direct democracy (e.g. Switzerland).

It was a ridiculous idea that anyone with a shred of political understanding wouldn't have undertaken. Fuck the Tories, not the fishing communities.

If we want to continue enjoying fresh fish from the fishmonger we need to support our native fishers, not sneer at them

We can buy fish from EU boats once our own fishermen are out of business, will be cheaper too, its market forces at work, no more, only they voted to build their own gallows.

Nope, I have none for them. I did try and engage (nicely) with my local fishmonger about what the actual realities would be but he was having none of it. I do actually know a reasonable amount about eu/constitutional law but he was not interested in what the law/implications were, just wanted to be able to ban other boats from our waters.

He didn't care that there would be import/export issues for the fish nor did he want to consider any other impact of leaving the EU. The desire to keep all the fish was overwhelming, so he's got his way.

I doubt he's happy though.

I'm old enough to remember the days when the fishing industry was pushing for bigger and bigger quotas right up until the point fish stocks collapsed. As far as I can see they've always been shortsighted idiots and I've no sympathy whatsoever.

Totally agree OP
Those saying they were fed lies, we were all told the same stories. Some though were blinded by their own greed and self interest, to the actual implications.
I don't understand why they assumed the same blocks they wanted for the EU wouldn't be used against us too. We are all in an indefinite worse place, both the Eu and more so the UK, but the lies will continue to blame immigrants, Europe.and anyone else they can.
and sadly it will be believed.
In the meantime all the big pushers of Brexit wil be laughing. The Sun and The daily mail owners will continue to pay no tax on income and live overseas or in tax free havens.
Dyson, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Nigel Lawson, all have moved themselves or their funds or companies abroad and even Farage has take care to make sure his kids have German passports so they can work in Europe
We get the country we deserve, its just a shame those who took it us down this route dont own it and those who followed still close their eyes and ears to the truth.

This article on the dangers of Brexit for the fishing industry was published in March 2016.....

I suspect we'd had enough of experts though.

www.brexitenvironment.co.uk/2016/03/31/what-would-brexit-really-mean-for-the-uks-fishing-industry/

I live in a part of Scotland where the fisherman are suffering. They have lost a lot of their usual selling options due to restaurants and pubs being shut and now loosing thousands each day as they aren't getting the boxes through the system and to the continent quick enough.

I do have sympathy for them despite many fishermen voting for brexit because they have already had extremely tough year but mostly I'm angry that thousands of tonnes of produce is being allowed to rot in a time where people are struggling.

You have to remember that this is whole towns and communities which are effected not just Bob the fisherman and if it collapses will push whole areas to the brink.

Wow My Husband has been a fisherman for 35 years. You haven't a damn clue you stupid woman !!! Time you actually have a conversation with the fishing community and your actually learn something.

Those saying they were fed lies, we were all told the same stories.

Well I have Spanish, Italian, French friends to talk to (and others). I'm also part Polish. I also lived in the rEU for a few years. I speak two rUK languages so can read different things. I also have very proEU parents and friends. I was in London talking to rEU people a lot. And on and on.

It's very different when you have pro Brexit people all around and the media is the same.

I'm angry too and think protests are a bit rich. But I can see why they voted the way they did.

Yep

@nicky7654
Genuinely what did your husband want or expect.

@DimidDavilby Thank you x My husband will appreciate your comment as he has been fishing for 35 years and feels totally let down. It's a very difficult job and dangerous, out in freezing conditions to end up being totally disrespected by the Government and the EU. Fisherman deserve appreciation. And let's also include the Fishing communities who are also becoming homeless !!!

@nicky7654, I really want to hear your perspective on what should have happened.

@nicky7654

Wow My Husband has been a fisherman for 35 years. You haven't a damn clue you stupid woman !!! Time you actually have a conversation with the fishing community and your actually learn something.

How did he vote in the 2016 referendum?

@DimidDavilby

fishermen are the same people who crowed and were pretty vile when the Eu vote went their way

Were they? How many fishermen do you know personally that were doing that?

It's a shitty situation, fishing is a heritage industry with a huge ammount of associated skill, indigenous knowledge and culture. Families will be out of work for the first time in many generations.

Fishermen were outright lied to by that Farage fuck, and then have been ignored ever since.

To be fair I know a few!

I know a few who voted Leave & were scrambling in the final weeks to secure EU funding for fishing equipment.

There was a classic photo in our local paper of a load of them sitting on their EU funded ice boxes, aboard their boats with new engines funded by EU grants - flying 'Fishing for Leave' banners.

Yes they were lied to but even I could work out it was terrible for them and I've never been near a fishing net in my life. I know I should feel sorry for them but I just can't summon any sympathy for Brexiteers, they voted selfishly after all