On December 24, 2020, the United Kingdom and the European Union reached an agreement on the terms of Brexit. One of the key topics of the agreement was fisheries, which had been a contentious issue throughout the negotiations.
Under the agreement, the UK will regain control of its waters and will become an independent coastal state. This means that the UK will have the right to decide who can fish in its waters and how much they can catch. The EU will no longer have automatic access to UK waters and will need to negotiate access based on a new annual agreement.
The UK and the EU have agreed to a transition period of five and a half years, during which the EU will gradually reduce its fishing quotas in UK waters. After this period, the two sides will renegotiate their agreements on fishing access and quotas.
Both sides have expressed satisfaction with the agreement, which they say will provide stability for the fishing industry and ensure the sustainable management of fish stocks.
However, some UK fishermen have expressed disappointment with the agreement, saying that it does not go far enough to protect their interests. They are concerned that foreign vessels will still have access to UK waters and that the UK government will not be able to enforce its own fishing regulations.
The Brexit agreement on fisheries is just one part of a complex set of negotiations between the UK and the EU. The two sides will now need to work together to implement the agreement and ensure a smooth transition for the fishing industry.
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