Tories would scrap EU fish quotas

Falling cod stocks have prompted fears

The Conservatives would bring Britain's fishing industry back under national control, says the party's leader.

Michael Howard said the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) had "totally failed British fishermen".

Mr Howard, who launches his party's European election campaign on Monday, said he would negotiate an exit from the CFP if his party took power.

The policy governs the amount of each type of fish that European Union (EU) member states are allowed to catch.

"The CFP is emptying our seas of fish and destroying our fishing industry," said Mr Howard.

"Things need to change. We need to be able to implement our own fishing policy that operates in the interests of our fishermen and conserves our fish stocks."

Fish stocks 'endangered'

Some scientists say the North Sea's white fish stocks have fallen so low they are in danger of extinction.

The current European fishing deal to protect stocks limits Scottish fishing boats to 15 days a month in the North Sea.

Last week the European Commission proposed a new Fisheries Control Agency to increase policing of Europe's waters and wants to tighten up the CFP's rules.

Prime Minister Tony Blair says he wants the UK to take a lead in "pushing the EU further down the path of managing fish stocks on a regional level."

But a report last month by his strategy unit argued the UK should remain in the CFP.

The Tory leader accused Mr Blair of missing a "golden opportunity" to deal with the EU fisheries policy during recent negotiations on the draft EU constitution.

He said the prime minister had "let British fishermen down".