By Armed Navy boats get ready to patrol British waters if no-deal Brexit
Armed Royal Navy boats are being prepared to patrol the UK’s fishing waters in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
This comes as negotiations with the EU enter their final 48 hours.
Four 80-metre vessels are on standby to guard British waters from EU fishermen in case no deal is agreed on fishing rights after the Brexit transition period ends on 31 December.
The ships would patrol Britain’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which covers an area up to 200 miles from the coast, it is being reported this morning.
The vessels, which are armed with machine guns, would be able to stop, search and impound trawlers fishing without permission in the EEZ.
According to The Times, patrol powers will be beefed up with Navy officers allowed to board foreign vessels and arrest fishermen if no deal is reached.
Fishing has been one of the sticking points in talks.
A Navy source has told the Guardian newspaper that firearms would only be used if life was at risk. “Nobody is going to be firing warning shots against French fishermen; firearms are only used when there is danger to life,” they said.
However, the government’s preparations recall the “cod wars” between the UK and Iceland in the 1970s as well as the more recent “scallop wars” between British and French fishing vessels in 2018.
The confirmation of the move comes as a no-deal Brexit looks increasingly likely, after negotiations this week were unable to bridge disagreements between the UK and the EU.
Access to each other’s waters will end next year, although Brussels has called for the current terms to continue for 12 months – a request that appears to have been rejected.
Tory MPs have urged Boris Johnson to ensure UK waters will be protected if talks collapse.
Photo: Royal Navy
