3 Jaw-Dropping Charts Reveal How EU Boats Are Beating Britain And It’s Heartbreaking

An investigation by GB News and Facts4EU has revealed that there are far more European Union fishing boats operating in UK waters than British boats in EU waters—and the EU vessels are not only more numerous, but also significantly larger and heavier.

The report comes at a tense political moment, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer under fire from critics who claim he is preparing to “betray” British fishermen. The concern is over a potential deal being discussed between the UK and the EU. According to reports, the EU may offer access to a massive €150 billion defence fund in return for broader fishing rights in UK waters as part of a wider post-Brexit trade agreement.

If the deal goes ahead, the EU would gain even greater access to the UK’s rich fishing zones. Some political figures have already spoken out. Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said the EU should pay the UK properly for its role in European defence and warned the government not to let down British fishermen.

The figures from the report are striking. At the moment, 1,570 EU boats are licensed to fish around Britain—81% more than the UK’s 874 boats allowed in EU waters. In terms of vessel size, the total length of EU fishing boats in UK waters measures nearly 36,000 metres, which is more than double the 14,924 metres of UK boats in EU waters.

Put another way, if all the EU boats in UK waters were lined up end-to-end, they would stretch 2.4 times longer than the UK’s equivalent fleet operating in EU territory.

The weight difference is even more dramatic. EU vessels fishing in UK waters weigh a combined total of about 396,000 tonnes—2.6 times heavier than the UK fleet, which totals around 151,000 tonnes.

These statistics have fueled criticism that the UK is not getting a fair deal when it comes to post-Brexit fishing arrangements, especially if further access is traded away for political or financial deals unrelated to the fishing industry.