SNP leader John Swinney

SNP leader John Swinney has embarked on a national tour as he bids to "save Scottish fisheries".

The nationalist chief was visiting Banff and Buchan as European Union leaders gathered in Brussels for the Inter-Governmental Conference (IGC).

The IGC is considering changes to the draft European constitution with the SNP calling on Britain's delegation to table amendments to a clause handing more powers over fisheries to the EU.

SNP Europe spokesman Neil MacCormick said that the government should take the final opportunity to protect the economically crucial area of the Scottish economy.

"The IGC goes on for the next two months," the MEP said.

"There are four more days for governments to table amendments on 'non-institutional questions' and this is where they could ask for fisheries to be taken out. But the government has shown no inclination to do so.

"Far from accepting the need to protect Scotland's fisheries in this way, the minister for Europe, Denis MacShane, totally missed the point.

"While accepting that 'governments can put on the table right up to the last moment whatever issues they wish to see decided', he didn't seem to think Scotland's fisheries merited such attention."