The French seafood industry is breathing a huge sigh of relief following the agreement and ratification of an EU-UK free trade deal that appeared to hinge on fisheries during negotiations.
Announcement of the deal after nine months of intense and fraught haggling came on Christmas eve. The UK finally transitioned out of EU rules on Dec. 31 after voting to leave the trade bloc in 2016.
In simple terms, the European Union will give up an average of 25 percent of its catches by value in British waters over a period of five years with the first 15 percent of that coming in the first year.
