A new pledge calling on politicians from all political parties to support the Scottish fishing industry’s demand that “full control of UK waters be taken back from the EU”, has received backing from Highlands and Islands MSP Donald Cameron.
The pledge asks politicians to;
- Vote against any arrangements that would extend our membership of the Common Fisheries Policy beyond December 2020 or that would take us back into the CFP after that date.
- Vote against any arrangement that prevents the UK from negotiating access and quota shares as a fully independent Coastal State from that date.
- Uphold the UK’s right to exercise complete control and sovereignty over its own waters.
The pledge comes following comments from the Chief Executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation Bertie Armstrong regarding the Political Declaration which stated that “the declaration gives the UK the power to assert its position as an independent Coastal State with full, unfettered sovereignty over our waters and natural resources.”
Scottish Conservative MSP Donald Cameron said:
“I welcome this intervention from the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation who have confirmed that the political declaration between the UK and EU will ensure that we are an independent coastal state by 2020.
The Prime Minister has made it abundantly clear that we will decide who fishes in our waters and on what terms. Above all else, we will be leaving the Common Fisheries Policy and delivering what the people voted for more than two years ago.
The SNP needs to stop playing political games with Scotland’s fishing communities, and get behind this deal so that we can deliver on the Sea of Opportunity ahead of us.”
