Call to restore control of waters to UK

Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, said: “We are asking voters in our coastal communities to press candidates to sign our pledge and back this important industry.

“Many candidates have already signed and we are pleased with progress, but it is important particularly in the coastal communities that we secure cross-party political support for our aims.”

Fishermen’s leaders insist that exiting the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is the only way of ending the farcical situation under which the country is forced to give away almost two-thirds of the fish from some of the richest fishing grounds in the world.

Candidates in all 650 parliamentary constituencies have been invited to sign the pledge prior to the election on June 8th.

Mr Armstrong added: “The whole industry, from those who go to sea through the processors to the hauliers, is united behind one simple aim – our coming out of the EU and the CFP.

“Brexit offers us a huge opportunity to re-assert control of our waters and to establish once and for all a sensible, practicable new fisheries management regime.

“We as an industry have repeatedly stated that we will work with the UK and Scottish governments to achieve this, and we hope that candidates will support the prospect of jobs and security for our beleaguered coastal communities by signing this pledge.”