UKIP Pressure forces Government to ask fishing community what They want from Brexit.
In a break from tradition, Government send out Brexit
questionnaire to all 36,000 signatories of Mike Hookem MEP’s petition to remove
the UK from the CFP and the Repeal Bill.
Pressure from UKIP MEP, Mike Hookem, has forced the Government to finally engage with fishing communities and the public over their plans to keep the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) using Theresa May’s so-called ‘Great Repeal Bill’.
Mr Hookem’s petition, which calls for the UK fishing industry to be made a stand-alone entity in the post-Brexit era, reached 36,000 signatories this week.
However, in an unusual move, the Government sent out a questionnaire to signatories asking for their views on how the UK fishing industry should look in the post-Brexit age.
The questionnaire came the day after Mr Hookem criticised the Government’s contradictory response to his petition, which stated we would ‘regain our rights to manage our fisheries’, but would maintain the status quo by adopting EU fisheries legislation.
Speaking from Brussels, Mr Hookem said, “Having signed many Parliamentary petitions over the years, I know it is highly unusual for the Government to send out a questionnaire to respondents after they have already replied.”
“The fact that the Government have done this signals to me that they are starting to understand the depth of negative feeling out there regarding a second betrayal of our fishing industry.
“With Brexit, we have a golden opportunity to not only reclaim an industry that has formed a part of our heritage for over 2000 years, but which will also be worth over £6 billion pounds a year to our economy.
“So, I would encourage anyone who has signed my petition to hammer home these point to Government. We want the establishment of our 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ); the return of the 70% of fish currently taken from our waters by EU vessels; and the establishment of a sufficient fisheries protection force.
“Implementing these measures will give a huge boost to struggling coastal communities that have been devastated by over 40 years of the CFP.”
“The simple fact is, the people of Britain did not vote during the referendum to keep the EU through other means, and especially did not vote to continue handing over the majority of our fishing wealth to Brussels.
“The fishing industry does not want ‘continuity’, they want change!”
Pressure from UKIP MEP, Mike Hookem, has forced the Government to finally engage with fishing communities and the public over their plans to keep the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) using Theresa May’s so-called ‘Great Repeal Bill’.
Mr Hookem’s petition, which calls for the UK fishing industry to be made a stand-alone entity in the post-Brexit era, reached 36,000 signatories this week.
However, in an unusual move, the Government sent out a questionnaire to signatories asking for their views on how the UK fishing industry should look in the post-Brexit age.
The questionnaire came the day after Mr Hookem criticised the Government’s contradictory response to his petition, which stated we would ‘regain our rights to manage our fisheries’, but would maintain the status quo by adopting EU fisheries legislation.
Speaking from Brussels, Mr Hookem said, “Having signed many Parliamentary petitions over the years, I know it is highly unusual for the Government to send out a questionnaire to respondents after they have already replied.”
“The fact that the Government have done this signals to me that they are starting to understand the depth of negative feeling out there regarding a second betrayal of our fishing industry.
“With Brexit, we have a golden opportunity to not only reclaim an industry that has formed a part of our heritage for over 2000 years, but which will also be worth over £6 billion pounds a year to our economy.
“So, I would encourage anyone who has signed my petition to hammer home these point to Government. We want the establishment of our 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ); the return of the 70% of fish currently taken from our waters by EU vessels; and the establishment of a sufficient fisheries protection force.
“Implementing these measures will give a huge boost to struggling coastal communities that have been devastated by over 40 years of the CFP.”
“The simple fact is, the people of Britain did not vote during the referendum to keep the EU through other means, and especially did not vote to continue handing over the majority of our fishing wealth to Brussels.
“The fishing industry does not want ‘continuity’, they want change!”
