The British might be in the business of borders now that they are out of the European Union, but fish certainly aren't. This is one reason why figuring out new trading relations between the EU and UK in the area of fisheries might be one of the trickiest to resolve in the complex trade negotiations that have kicked off this week in Brussels.
The UK has set out its negotiating stall insisting that fisheries is not part of any trade deal, whereas the EU wants to tie any post-Brexit trade agreement to a deal on fisheries. Either way, fishing exposes one of the absurdities of Brexit politics. In no other area is the nationalist urge of the Brexiteer to “take back control” more strongly felt than in the area of fisheries. From an economic perspective control of those waters could come at a vast detrimental cost to the British fisherman hauling nets and pots out of them.
Fishing accounts for just 0.1 per cent of the UK’s economic output, yet it is a powerful symbol for the economic nationalists now in charge of the country and an important political constituency given that Britain’s coastal fishing communities strongly backed Brexit. One poll in 2016 suggested 92 per cent of the industry voted to leave the EU. These voters were likely only considering one side of the EU-UK trading equation when they cast their ballot. They ignored the fact that when it comes to fish the British export what they catch and import what they eat. The UK imports about 70 per cent of the fish it consumes and exports 80 per cent of its catch, mostly to the EU.
Significant changes to existing arrangements would be devastating for the Irish fishing industry. At least 60 per cent of mackerel caught by Irish trawlers and 40 per cent of prawns – both mainstays for the sector – comes from soon-to-be UK waters outside the EU.
Unless the British develop an overnight taste for mackerel specials in their local chipper, common sense suggests economic realities and the value of continuing mutually beneficial arrangements will likely win out. After much political table-thumping of course.