Scotland will have more control over its fishing fleet if voters choose to quit the EU in June, a UK Government minister said yesterday.
Fishing Minister George Eustice was speaking on the eve of a visit to Peterhead, where he will talk to skippers as part of his campaign for a Brexit.
This is despite his party leader and prime minister, David Cameron, insisting continued membership of a reformed EU is the best way forward.
But Mr Eustice’s Leave message is sure to resonate strongly with many people in an industry which has always been deeply suspicious of Brussels, and suffered swingeing cuts to quotas and fishing time under the much-hated Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
Mr Eustice said quitting the EU would deliver “unprecedented power” for Scotland in devolved areas such as fishing policy.
He also said he would want Scottish Fishing Minister Richard Lochhead at his side as part of a stronger voice for the UK in international quota talks.
“We already have full engagement with the Scottish Government and I would want to take its representatives with me and have them alongside me in these sort of negotiations after a Brexit,” he said, adding: “Many of the powers gained through having our own seat at the table would flow straight back up to Scotland.”
Mr Eustice said a great many fishermen believed the UK had a “raw deal” under the current system, where quotas for some key stocks are negotiated between the EU, Norway, Iceland and Faroe.
“Norway calls the shots when it comes to the North Sea,” he said, adding: “It has advantages as an independent country because it does have a seat at the table.”
The UK minister said a shock blue whiting deal struck with Norway in December highlighted the dangers of unilateral action by the European Commission. Scottish fishers later complained that Norway ended up with a disproportionate share of the shared stock.
Mr Eustice said this and other examples would not have been allowed to happen if the UK had been given its own voice in the talks.
The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation is neutral on the issue of the in-out referendum on EU membership, while the Scottish Government backs the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign.
Last night, Mr Lochhead said: “Mr Eustice needs to explain how Brexit would safeguard access to European markets for the vast majority of Scottish seafood exports that benefit from the current arrangements.
“He also needs to explain why the UK Government never pushed for further reforms of the CFP during the recent negotiations between David Cameron and the EU, prior to the prime minister calling the EU referendum
“Fisheries has never been a priority for the UK Government. There is no sign this would be any different with a Brexit.”