Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)

DEFINITION: An EU policy designed to manage European fishing fleets and conserve fishing stocks. It gives all European fishing fleets equal access to EU waters to create fair competition.

UK critics of the policy argue that as the UK has a relatively large fishing zone compared to many of its continental European neighbours, EU fishermen benefit more from access to UK waters. The Government has committed to leave the CFP upon the country’s anticipated exit from the EU in March 2019. In the June 2017 Queen’s Speech, the Government announced a ‘Fisheries Bill’ for the upcoming Parliamentary session. Its purpose is to “enable the UK to control access to its waters and set UK fishing quotas once it has left the EU.”

See also: Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

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