Guarantees needed to protect Scotland's marine life

Environmentalists are calling for a version of the Common Fisheries Policy to guard Scottish waters against overfishing and protect marine life.

Scottish Environment Link (SEL) says Scotland must take action to provide sustainable fishing practices and build on "positive environmental protections we already benefit from" through the CFP.

Campaigners are concerned our waters will become overfished after David Mundell said Scotland will become an independent coastal state in December 2020 no matter what happens through Brexit negotiations.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove said a new Fisheries Bill will give the UK Government and devolved administrations the power to manage fisheries more effectively and sustainably.

Link fears progress will be lost if the current policy is ditched.

"More work is needed but we are seeing results," says Link.

"A key issue for our marine environment is fisheries management. A highly political issue which in Scotland focuses on landings – how much quotas Scottish fishermen will get – rather than how do we ensure that we have a system in place that does not deplete fish stocks.

"There are a lot of good outcomes and articles within the common fisheries policy. Let us not think about completely starting from scratch. There is a lot of good in the policy."

The North Sea is rich in commercial species such as cod and haddock with more than 40% of fish stocks being overfished.