A picture is worth a thousand words

[macliam]

I saw this on another forum - I have no idea of the original source - but it seems to me to sum up the Channel issue

[blythburgh]

Yes in a way. I was watching the BBC series about Cornish Fishermen on catch up. One small boat Skipper was upset as he and his companions can only fish in certain areas due to size of boat and how long they can stay at sea. The French are not inshore fishermen who go out and back the same day but have sleeping quarters and can fish far and wide over several days. He felt that by not getting the 12 mile zone just for ourselves the French can take all the fish but the Cornish ones know they must leave some for the next day. The French boat could fish elsewhere when the fish are gone but they could only fish more locally.

Nothing is ever black and white is it? But the picture does sum up the overall feeling at the moment on both sides

[macliam]

Sorry bb, that is just nationalistic nonsense. A small fisherman up against a larger boat is no different to a small jeweller complaining about H.Samuels, the bigger one always has more options.....

Here's a thought for him, sell the day boat, join with others and buy a big boat, then you can compete with the French without expecting the government to help you out by banning the competition!

Here's another thought, forget Cornwall and look to the East Coast, where British fishermen are still taking fish from "French" waters. Look to Scotland, where producers are stuffed due to the delays and costs in exporting their live seafood - or faced with freezing it and losing the premium price....

Here's yet another thought, ask Mr. Cornwall where he's going to sell the fish he catches.... because I recall box after box of squid on the quay at Polperro, all bound for Spain, I recall barrels of Crab at Weymouth all pre-sold to France, I know the market in Spider crab is 100% dependent of foreign sales. Ask him how big the UK market is for Cornish ̶P̶i̶l̶c̶h̶a̶r̶d̶s̶ Sardines.

"Nothing is ever black and white is it?"

[blythburgh]

In the end the fault is with Brexit and the successive Govt's never properly defending our fishing industry. I knew the fishermen would be sold down the river. They are small fry compared to other industries. Like farming in the past but now farmers are being treated the same way as the fishermen.

And if they believed the brexit lies then they only have themselves to blame. But sadly many affected by Brexit were not fooled and voted Remain.