I reside in Hastings, East Sussex, a place deeply ingrained in the roots of the British fishing fleet. Our community depends on the hardworking men and women who launch their fishing vessels from our beaches daily. However, they are now under massive financial pressure owing to the manipulation of fishing quotas. Our quotas, rightfully belonging to UK fishermen, should not be used as political bargaining chips.

The British fishing industry contributes to the national economy, with the marine fisheries sector alone generating over £1 billion in 2019 [1]. But our fishermen's rights to access and fish in UK waters as established by the Common Fisheries Policy [2] are being gradually eroded. We call upon our government to protect these rights and not give them away as a bargaining tool to gain advantages from the EU.

Every signature on this petition sends a message that we stand with our fishermen. We believe in the importance of sovereignty over our waters. Together, we can push for the necessary changes to protect our fishing industry and the communities depending on it. Please sign this petition to prevent the rights of our fishermen from being negotiated away.

Sources:
[1] Marine Management Organisation (MMO) (2019). UK sea fisheries annual statistics report 2019.
[2] European Union. The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).