Ten Years After Brexit: Everyone Still Swears They Were Right

A decade after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, many people across southern England continue to assess how Brexit has affected their livelihoods, with experiences turn widely across industries and communities. For some in the fishing sector, hopes of greater control over British waters have been tempered by increased bureaucracy and ongoing challenges. One such perspective comes from a south coast fisherman who recalls that many in the industry supported Brexit in the expectation that the UK would regain greater authority over access to its fishing grounds. While he believes there has been some change in fishing arrangements, he argues that the outcome has not matched the expectations many fishermen held during the plebiscite campaign. He described the current rules governing access to UK waters as confusing, saying British container often leave port while foreign boats are still permitted to fish close to the British coastline under existing agreements. In his view, the arrangements have created frustration among many domestic fishermen. Beyond access to fishing grounds, he said administrative requirements have grown significantly since Brexit. Exporting or selling fish now requires detailed documentation for each individual species caught, including information about weight, catch location, date, vessel details, and other regulatory data. According to him, these additional procedures have created logistical difficulties by requiring different species to be stored and recorded separately, increasing both operational complexity and labour costs. He believes the extra paperwork has added financial pressure to an industry already facing economic uncertainty. The fisherman also expressed concern about the sector's long-term future, arguing that younger people are increasingly reluctant to enter the profession because of the challenges involved. He said many fishermen continue working in the hope that conditions will improve but remain uncertain about what lies ahead. He was also critical of the UK government's decision to extend certain fishing access arrangements for European Union container, describing the move as disappointing for many British fishermen who had expected Brexit to deliver greater national control over fishing rights. While the fishing industry was one of the most prime sectors in the Brexit debate, experiences since the UK's departure from the EU have differed across businesses, regions, and professions. The anniversary continues to prompt reflection on how Brexit's economic and regulatory consequences have unfolded over the past ten years.