'Fish used to be a staple part of a diet, now it's a luxury'

BREXIT RESET 'BLINDSIDES' FISHERMEN

- By Lotti O'Brien

FURIOUS fishermen in Cornwall say they have been left "blindsided" by Sir Keir Starmer's Brexit-reset deal, which has delivered the opposite of what they had campaigned for.

Shrinking quotas are driving workers out of the industry, as frustration mounts over the Prime Minister turning fish into a “luxury item”.

In May, the UK agreed to a 12-year fishing deal with the European Union, allowing continued access for EU vessels to British waters.

However, industry insiders now fear for the next generation's future.

Sam Chapman, owner of Pengelly's Fishmongers, was once a successful wholesaler but due to dwindling supply, he has shifted his focus to retail.

Explaining the impact of the deal, the 32-year-old said imposed quotas are inflating prices, turning what was once a “staple part of our diet” into a “once-a-fortnight luxury”.

Mr Chapman said: “The fishing deal won't change anything. And that’s the issue - that nothing has changed.

“There’s not a lot of quota left here, and it’s all been allocated elsewhere — we were hoping for more quota in the deal.”

The post-Brexit fishing deal initially granted the EU five more years of access to UK waters, which was set to expire next year.