Facing Brexit, Scapêche Will Build Multi-Purpose Boats



Three months after the signing of an agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, the horizon remains uncertain for French shipping lines, whose activity is based partly on British waters. The first of them, the scapuche. Since the start of Brexit, the Agromosquatres (Intermarche) subsidiary has not lost its fishing rights. Despite the administrative difficulties that prompted boats from northern Scotland to land in Ireland at the start of the year, “we remain within the scope of our action”, indicates Sylvain Pruvost, president of the Mosquetaires Maritime Region. In particular, 42 and 46 m trawlers continue to fish in northern Scotland.

For scapuche, the pressure on European fishing has already begun in the Celtic Sea, where the grid imposed by the British is “one of the unpleasant surprises”. The fleet will have to modify their trawls and consider that the catch per haul will be less. “We have been adapting since the beginning of the year,” summarizes the president of Scapeche.

Housing starts in 2023

But the uncertainties lie mainly after June 2026, the end of the Brexit transition period. Without waiting for a deadline and to respond to its “sustainable fishing 2025” plan redefined in recent weeks, the shipping line will launch an overhaul of its fleet. For the Ordnance President, it is a question of future preparedness: “Our perimeter is already defined by June 2026 as we will be slightly affected by the quota to be returned to British fishermen”.

Without knowing the fishing areas on which 250 Breton sailors would work from that date, the shipping line is working on refurbishing ten or so 28- and 33-metre trawlers with multi-purpose boats. “It is about being able to adapt to different fishing areas, for example, we have to operate outside of northern Scotland,” continues Sylvain Pruvost. Tenders for the construction of the boats will be launched next year, to begin construction in 2023.

Maintain 16,000 Ton Mark

A scheduled renewal at the rate of a new boat for one and a half boats. The aim is to continue to supply the Captain Haute workshop at the same height. As well as the auctions of Lorient and Guilvinec (29), where more than half of the 16,000 annual tons are sold each year. Lorient, 22 coastal and deep-sea fishing boats achieved a turnover of €40 million last year due to low prices at the height of the health crisis.

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