There are just 72 hours left to save Scotland's fishing industry, the SNP has warned.

Amid continuing campaigning for Thursday's parliamentary elections, Alex Salmond said that only the nationalists were prepared to fight for the beleaguered sector.

The Banff and Buchan MP added that every Scot should support an SNP "pledged to pick up the cudgels on behalf of our fishing industry"

"More of the same under any Labour/Lib Dem coalition will spell disaster for our fishing communities," he said.

"Neither party has ever shown the slightest interest is saving the fishing industry or has come forward with proposals that give our communities hope."

In government the SNP said it would seek to lead any UK delegation to Brussels during discussions on the Common Fisheries Policy.

European Union discussions on catch quotas last December saw Scotland, and other countries, lose out amid fears that fish stocks are approaching terminal decline in the face of modern fishing methods.

Shadow fisheries minister Richard Lochhead said that Scotland's fishing communities were now "fighting for survival"

"The fact that so many skippers have applied to leave the industry through decommissioning illustrates that morale has plummeted, however Thursday's elections offer our fishing communities the opportunity to vote for a future.

"Our fishing communities must not give up hope. They should turn out on Thursday and make their voices heard," he said.

The party has pledged to invest over £70 million in the industry if it gains power following Thursday's elections.

"There may be only seventy two hours left to save the fishing industry and the fate of our fishing communities is in the hands of the people of Scotland," said Lochhead.