UK to Allow EU Citizens to Fish in EU Territorial Waters After Brexit

UK Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove said that EU fishermen will be able to continue fishing in the UK territorial waters following Brexit as the country's industry does not have sufficient capacity to process all the fish on its own.

LONDON (Sputnik) – EU fishermen will be able to continue fishing in the UK territorial waters following Brexit as the country's industry does not have sufficient capacity to process all the fish on its own, UK Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove said.

"Britain has no fish cutters [employed to clean, trim and bone fish] or the production facilities enough to catch all the fish in British waters," Gove said during his visit to Denmark, adding that European fishermen would be able to catch "large amounts" of fish in UK waters after the country leaves the European Union, as quoted by The Times newspaper.

The territorial waters around the United Kingdom encompass some 70 percent of the EU fish stocks and the United Kingdom is seeking to regain full control over the waters as part of the Brexit deal. Following the Brexit, the United Kingdom would be able to set its own conservation rules instead of following EU quotas for allowable catches.

Brexit negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union officially kicked off on June 19, and are due to be completed by March 30, 2019.