TAKING OUR WATERS BACK: Brexit sparks PANIC for German fishermen who NEED British waters

German trawlermen fear Brexit could threaten the herring fishing in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, a state in the north of the country.

The German Agriculture Minister Till Backhaus appealed to Angela Merkel’s government on Wednesday over fears the industry will not be allowed access to the British North Sea waters after Brexit.

The fishermen are also concerned as the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea recommended the EU should ban herring fishing in the Western Baltic for 2019.

Mr Backhaus believes the stock of deep sea fishing in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania depends on access to the British waters.

For example, the plant in Sassnitz, with 230 employees, processes around 40,000 tonnes of North Sea herring each year and up to 10,000 tonnes of Baltic herring.

Mr Backhaus said: “Solutions need to be found that will both secure herring conservation and provide a future for fishermen”.

Uwe Richter, head of the EuroBaltic fish factory in Sassnitz, has demanded the ban be challenged so that Germany can continue to profit from the wealth of the UK’s waters after the nation leaves the bloc in March next year.”

He raged: “Not only the fishermen are startled, but also their customers!”

Sassnitz is one of the largest fish processors in Europe, with an annual production of up to 50,000 tonnes of herring from the North and Baltic Seas.

All of the produce comes from waters affected by Brexit as the Baltic is part of Britain’s historic trade route.

According to a government white paper on fishing after Brexit, fishermen will face annual negotiations to secure their rights in shared waters from 2020.

The White Paper promises a “fairer share” for UK fleets to replace the “poor deal” that they already have.

Environmental minister, Mr Gove, said: “As an independent coastal state for the first time in over 40 years, access to UK waters will be on our terms, under our control and for the benefit of UK fishermen,” food and environment minister Michael Gove said.

“This is consistent with the approach to fisheries taken by other coastal states including Norway.”

This comes as a group of environmental campaigners have joined forced to demand that Michael Gove ensures that the post-Brexit management of the UK’s fisheries is not compromised by ‘a lack of sustainability objectives in plans for fisheries management’.

Additional reporting by Monika Pallenberg