Fishermen ‘frustrated’ over Scottish ministers’ muted response to deal

Scottish fishermen are “footstampingly frustrated” at the Scottish Government for not embracing Brexit and its potential benefits for the industry, MPS have been told.

Brexit could boost Scotland’s fishing industry by more than £500 million, according to representatives of fishermen and seafood organisations, who urged the Scottish Government to “grab this opportunity by the throat.”

After leaving the European Union, the UK government says it will be able to control fishing in British waters.

Welcoming the proposed 0 Bertie Armstrong said Brexit offers a ‘big, fat opportunity’

Fisheries Bill, Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) chief executive Bertie Armstrong told the Scottish affairs committee at Westminster: “This bill is essential in ensuring leg- islation to allow us to embrace the big, fat opportunity that Brexit presents to the fishing industry of the UK.”

Mr Armstrong argued that under the current rules, all the waters off the shores of EU countries are considered as “common access”, and the opportunity for UK fishermen “is rigidly set in a position of extreme disadvantage to us”.

He added: “There will be a complete change in the seas around the UK on Brexit.

“The arrival at a position of sovereignty over who catches what in the seas and how much is caught is wholly, absolutely and completely different from the Common Fisheries Policy.”