Even if they do not know the borders, the fish risk, like the mainland fishermen, to suffer from Brexit. Brewed, oxygenated and fresh: From the west of Scotland to the North Sea, British waters are rich in species prized by European consumers. Under the effect of climate change, they are even more and more productive in diversified fishery resources. From there to imagine that political news will offer anglerfish and plaice a safe haven from European Union (EU) fishing boats, it would be to ignore the life cycle of these great nomads and presage an uncertain diplomatico-commercial agreement.
“Where are the adult and juvenile fish found? Who has the right to catch it? Who eats it? The issue of fishing is complicated and unbalanced, says Clara Ulrich, Deputy Scientific Director of the French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea (Ifremer). Because many emblematic species move over great distances, in the North Sea as well as in the Celtic Sea and in the west of Scotland: herring, plaice, cod, sprat, mackerel, whiting, hake. Others, such as sole, whiting, haddock, and saithe pass less from one area to another. “
Ifremer cites the example of herrings, which are born along the Dutch and Danish coasts, where they spend their first winter. The juveniles stay in this area until they are 1 year old, but then start to be seen across the North Sea as well. Those aged 2 years and over mostly spend the summer feeding along the Scottish coasts, in British waters, before returning to lay their eggs south.
These herrings are now mainly targeted by Danish and Dutch vessels, which also target mackerel and sandeels. While the British are more used to the catches of cod and haddock in these regions and go to seek crustaceans and scallops in the English Channel. If the questions of marine territories become unavoidable, will continental professionals ignore their specializations and all congregate in the same fishing areas? Who will protect the juveniles, considered to be of lesser value?
“Ecological fear”
Until now, professionals on both sides of the Channel have shared hake, anglerfish, haddock – more than a hundred stocks in total – within the framework of the common fisheries policy. Established in 1983, it aims to set overall limits not to be exceeded. It is a question of finally achieving a truly sustainable management of resources, still not achieved in 2020 although the objective was set in 2013. Quotas are then distributed for the year or two years to come between Member States. , according to a principle of “relative stability” regularly contested.
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