Fishing industry leaders have called on MPs not to delay the UK''s exit from the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
At a meeting held in the Houses of Parliament, new fisheries minister Robert Goodwill was told by members of the National Federation of Fisherman's Organisations (NFFO) and the Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF) that the UK must leave the 'unfair' CFP by December 2020 at the latest.
A joint statement issued by Barrie Deas, chief executive of the NFFO, and Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the SFF, said that the current delay was disappointing.
“At long last, the sea of opportunity that is available to UK fishermen outside of the CFP is within our grasp, and the public wants to ensure we’re able to secure this and become a world leader in sustainable, innovative and prosperous fisheries management," it said.
'Plunder our waters'
The statement continued: “However, it remains clear that the EU would like to continue to be able to plunder our waters. European leaders will attempt to persuade the UK government to maintain the current unbalanced and unfair arrangements, and this must be rejected at every point.
“The public know that the industry was betrayed 40 years ago when our government signed up to the CFP. Outside the CFP, the British fishing industry will be a global leader."
The NFFO and SFF stated that polling shows overwhelming support for a better deal for the UK fishing industry and explained that leaving the EU will ensure that UK fishermen operate within much fairer quota shares.
