Brexit has been in the news for the four years or so, but has gained an especially large amount of coverage the last few months. With the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, they will need to keep their economy up while figuring out how to navigate a relationship with the rest of Europe post-breakup. A single Frenchman and his crew could potentially stand in the United Kingdom’s way as they attempt to prop up their economy. Stephane Fait and his crew catch the majority of their fish in British water. Setting into effect January 31, a post-Brexit trade deal will deny EU ships such as Fait’s automatic access. Seeing as this area of British water holds the majority of the fishermen’s income, they are not sitting idly for this deal to go into effect. The French fishermen have taken to pressuring Brussels with the help of French President Emmanuel Macron. President Macron is supporting fisherman such as Stephane Fait and his team by threatening to withhold the trade deal. In order to pacify Macron, the UK would need to allow EU vessels access to British waterways. Many fishermen feel as if this situation is unfair as their livelihood is in fishing and to be denied access to the most plentiful and profitable area to fish in seems incredibly unjust to them. I believe that if the United Kingdom wants to keep a good working relationship with any European Union states that it must give in to France’s requests. At the end of the day the use of that portion of British waters is a small price to pay for a decent relationship with the EU, especially given the lengthy and stressful instance of the UK becoming independent from the European Union. Without a quick and final decision, this issue could escalate rather quickly.
