North East Fishing industry awaits news on Brexit negotiations

Video report and words by Tom Barton

At the fish quay in North Shields...like in so many other parts of the country...they've spent today waiting, and listening for news from trade talks with the EU.

Among them...Paul Herd. He's clear - he wants Boris Johnson to walk away.

Right now, trade negotiations are still going on. The last big stumbling block is the fishing industry. And in particular, whether European boats will still be allowed to fish in British waters.

The biggest catch at North Shields is langoustine. The vast majority of these are exported, many to Europe. And that means the talks are a tricky balancing act...between taking back control, and risking having to pay heavy tariffs.

Tony McLean runs one of the fishmongers on the quayside. While he says the fishing industry is right to ask the government to back it, he wants the prime minister to balance that with the needs of the rest of the country.

Those who fish up and down our coastline know change is coming. What they didn't know yet...is what that change will look like, or what its impact will be.