UK must take full control of waters after Brexit, fishing chiefs say

The local fishing boat Valhalla (LK 687) arrives in Lerwick Harbour to land her catch. Photo: Sydney Sinclair

The UK must keep “full control” over who has access to their waters if Brexit is to prove a success for fishermen.

That statement comes from both Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) and National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisation (NFFO) chief executives Elspeth Macdonald and Barrie Deas.

The pair said that leaving the much-criticised Common Fisheries Policy was the most important aspect of negotiations, and that EU boats currently had “unfettered” access to rich UK fishing grounds.

“The only satisfactory means of ensuring that this is achieved is for the UK, as a sovereign coastal state, to maintain full control over access to our waters.

“That does not mean denying EU vessels access to fish in the UK Exclusive Economic Zone.

“Rather, that such access would be negotiated annually – as is the norm for the EU and Norway and other non-EU fishing nations.”