UK puts Royal Navy on standby to deter European fishing boats.

a reply to: TKDRL

The UK don't want to share their fish with the rest of the EU?

Rest of the EU?
That would imply that the UK is still part of the EU, we aren't.

They want to fish in our waters then its by our rules, pretty straight forward.

Sure, there's a need to compromise....but it cuts both ways and all I see at the moment is the EU wanting everything their way.

Sounds fascist to me.

I'm sure you'd be fully supportive of Canadian/Mexican/Russian trawlers etc having almost unlimited rights to fish in US waters?

a reply to: AaarghZombies

Northern Ireland is an integral part of the UK and the British people will never agree to abandoning it as long as the majority of people in Northern Ireland wish to remain in the UK.

Support for the UK was growing even in traditional Nationalist communities prior to the farce that has been Brexit.

That has nothing to do with empire building.

I really don't know what gave you the impression that we would ever contemplate 'ditching' Northern Ireland.....it would be political suicide for any political party to even suggest it.

.....a lot of people have an extremely poor understanding of history......

Indeed they do.

.... and when they think of the British empire what they're actually thinking of is slavery in America.

Do they?
Not over here in the UK they don't.

Sorry, I don't really get the point you are trying make here.
Are you trying to say that The British Empire was responsible for slavery in the USA?
If so please elaborate.

Please don't fall into the trap of believing that the actions of a very small minority are representative of the opinions of the vast majority because I can categorically assure you they aren't.

a reply to: Moohide

Was going to say the same thing, We are the world's Scrappy Doo, Talk a big game but our best fighting days are behind us.

If you want access to an independent nation's waters, you have to do a deal with them, not just demand access.

Seems quite simple unless you're one of the swivel eyed euro lions who thinks everything about the UK is bad.

a reply to: 11SK1180

Why do people insist on putting themselves down?

The UK has so much to be proud of.

It really does mystify me why people are beginning to buy into the negative perspective of the UK, its people and culture that is driven by wokism and the PC Brigade.

originally posted by: alldaylong

Fish is not the main problem in reaching a trade deal.

The E.U. want to U.K. to still be answerable to The Europeam Court Of Justice and also tell us what amount of State Aid if any we can give to business.

It all boils down to one word........*SOVEREIGNTY*

Vive la United Kingdom non non non.

Long live the United Kingdom yes yes yes

a reply to: alldaylong

Yup, there is going to be trouble no doubt about it, many of the french fishermen earn up to 60% of there livelihood fishing on British waters.

I guess though that since the French were only too eager to try to stop our Fishermen fishing were they have done so legally for century's in waters that are grey territory between the British and the French around some of the Channel Islands it is only fair, still you have to feel sorry for the poor blokes whom have done nothing wrong and are now losing there livelihood but in truth our fish stock's have suffered tremendously under over fishing by European boats and this will actually both give them AND our own fishing industry time to recover.


One of the French Trawlermen said it will end in war, let's hope not but if it does here is something for the French to think about, we are experts at fish combat.

a reply to: LABTECH767

still you have to feel sorry for the poor blokes whom have done nothing wrong and are now losing there livelihood

I don't have any sympathy.

The U.K. fishing industry was decimated by EU Common Fisheries Policy. British Fishermen had to burn their boats. Ports like Grimsby became a shadow of their former selves.

Meanwhle EU fishermen just took advantage of U.K. Waters. That kind Mr Barnier made a insane offer a few weeks ago, which was for U.K. Fishermen to be " allowed " to catch between 15-18% of the fish in " our own waters "

That was a complete piss take. EU Fisherman have had it good for a long time at the U.K. expense. What goes around comes around.

a reply to: alldaylong

Don't get me wrong I absolutely agree, Grimsby was famous for quality fish and now most of the fish we eat in the UK is processed in bloody Europe somewhere, we need those job's back, a proper fishing industry will also revitalise our ship building industry though only building and maintaining smaller boats like trawlers as well.

But at the human scale, I guess those French Fishermen could always apply for British Passports and move there operation over here.

I also know a few heavy good's drivers whom used to carry freight since before the Chunnel (Rabies Highway it was not in the UK until they built that bloody thing and how many jobs did that destroy with the ferry industry and ports suffering drastic cut backs) was built, our lorry's were and ARE ALWAYS targeted by the French when they have an argument/strike with there government and they deliberately ALWAYS single out British truck's and slash there tyres, never Dutch, never German just British so why, obviously they hate us, yet we have never done them even half the wrong they have done to us, part of it is because of religious propaganda and Joan of Arc whom was killed let's remember not by the English but by the Norman's though they always lay it on the English - whom just about four century's before had been invaded by the Norman French, the Saxon English woman raped and murdered there men folk butchered and the Danish English of the Shires suffered even worse as old William of NORMANDY had the peasant's in the shires massacred, there farm's raised to the ground, there crop's burned and there animals slaughtered.

So yeah the French lovely people really.

(I am closer to Fleetwood, we don't really have the same clash as the fishing community's of the south do but those bloody quotas nearly killed Fleetwood as well - and north of the border the scot's fishermen also took a pounding at the hands of Europe despite SNP's pro Europe Anti English stance - another iconic fishing community that now suffers and could definitely do our fishing industry being revived)

a reply to: alldaylong

I agree, I actually remember seeing the fishing wars on the news almost daily...... once over. Spanish and french boats trawling our waters, causing all sorts of high sea shenanigans. The industry is destroyed, mostly through overfishing but ridiculous throwback laws and catch regulations dont help like they're supposed to and are in serious need of sensible revision.

I think an aggressive stance now is exactly the right thing to do.

a reply to: Catch_a_Fire

That is absolutely correct as well, the French are not shy about sending out there destroyers and frigates to defend there trawlers even when they are in the wrong so it is about time our government and Navy showed some backbone.

originally posted by: LABTECH767
... many of the french fishermen earn up to 60% of there livelihood fishing on British waters.

And many will continue to do so. However, under UK laws, not those of the EU. Why is this a concept so difficult for the French and the EU to understand?

A word from the French.

French MEP Pierre Karleskind, chairman of the European Parliament's Committee on Fisheries, called for a calming of the rhetoric following the reports.

He told Times Radio: "Let's keep cool. Let's keep calm.

"I was just looking at a history book. The creation of the French Royal Navy was done in 1294 in response to naval battles between French and English fishermen. So this is a long, long history between our two nations.

"You're saying it's about fish but let's think just a few seconds. Do you really think it's only about fish that navy ships are used and will be used? I don't think so."
news.sky.com...

Of course not Pierre , it's about our Sovereignty and regaining something which is rightfully ours.

Plus, the French MEP is guilty of factual inaccuracy, or at least stretching things a bit. The French (Royal) Navy was created in 1624.

Anyway, the navy of France first won a victory against the English at the Battle of Arnemuiden in 1338 in a one-sided engagement of 48 French galleys versus 5 cogs. In 1340 at the Battle of Sluys the English got their own back in a naval melee involving 200+ French ships versus 150 English ships, where the English lost two ships and perhaps 500 sailors, while the French lost (er) 200 ships and 20,000 sailors.

Thus began a history of naval rivalry and conflict between the two powers which sort of ended in 1940 at the Mers-el-Kébir, where the French chose to be on the wrong side of history, again!

But hey, we are getting diverted by things here. The Royal Navy won’t start a shooting war with France, but the RN patrol vessels will police UK fisheries and enforce UK law, as is their mandate.

a reply to: AaarghZombies

I really like the idea of the Commonwealth, though 'Empire' is a huge millstone to be left behind.

Mozambique, a former Potugese colony, joined the Comonwealth a while back and it offers no subsidies.

The Brexit vote to leave came as a suprise to most.

However, as a friend of mine said at thevtime "I dont understand why I'm working to lay people off and close a profitable business in the UK, while at the same time hire people and open an EU subsidised one doing the same thing in Latvia".

Equally I couldn't bring myself to vote to be part of an organisation that's rarely, if ever, had a wholly clean sign off of its accounts.

Not suprisingly we both voted for Brexit. Time to end this EU nonsense.

If the French, or Latvians, or any EU member wants access to Britains Territorial waters perhaps there is a deal to be done on joining the Commonwealth.

a reply to: alldaylong

originally posted by: Freeborn
a reply to: TKDRL

The UK don't want to share their fish with the rest of the EU?

Rest of the EU?
That would imply that the UK is still part of the EU, we aren't.

They want to fish in our waters then its by our rules, pretty straight forward.

Sure, there's a need to compromise....but it cuts both ways and all I see at the moment is the EU wanting everything their way.

Sounds fascist to me.

I'm sure you'd be fully supportive of Canadian/Mexican/Russian trawlers etc having almost unlimited rights to fish in US waters?

Its really baffles me why this keeps getting brought up. Economically speaking its very insignificant (although I sympathise with people who lost jobs). Perhaps the British media seeing it as some bizarre 'victory'?

The British negotiators have really done well to portray this to the EU for having a much greater value then it really does. Sure win in negotiating power for something we want in return.

a reply to: tdk84

It's nothing to do with economics.

It's about Britain saying who can access U.K. Waters, and what terms and conditions apply for that access to be allowed.

It's commonly known as...............being in control. Something The UK lost when it joined The EU ( formally known as The EEC )

So stop talking about how much Fishing is worth to The UK Economy. That is a mere side issue.

a reply to: alldaylong

I think you've got it the wrong way round. The territorial waters matter not, its covered by law of sea. Its a moot point, of course we can do with it as we see fit and control it how we want.

The point I'm making is the UK government is successfully using it as a negotiating asset to greater value then it is. And I don't understand how when its so insignificant to both parties.

a reply to: tdk84

The point I'm making is the UK government is successfully using it as a negotiating asset to greater value then it is

You have it the wrong way around.

It is The EU who are bringing Fishing Rights into the trade negotiations. Access to a nations territorial waters has never been part of any trade deal. Until The EU came along and demaned it.

The UK has numerous trade deals with countries around the globe. Have we ever asked for access to their waters as part of those deals ? The short answer is no.