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The government must do more to increase fishing quotas to maintain local economies in coastal areas, according to a senior Liberal Democrat MP.
Sir Alan Beith held a Westminster Hall debate on the fishing industry on Wednesday.
Speaking ahead of the debate, he told ePolitix.com that he had particular concerns about the fishing industry in Northumberland where fishing was "a very important part of the local economy".
The Berwick-upon-Tweed MP said that "many fishermen are actually prevented from catching fish because quota rules haven't been adapted properly".
He said that members from other coastal constituencies "will have a similar story to tell", whereby there are low stocks of fish that can be caught.
"For example, in my part of the world, people who would like to be fishing for whiting and haddock, which are around, instead can only fish for prawns which are in rather short supply at the moment," he said. "We did well last year but they're in very short supply at the moment.
Another problem was the cost of fuel, he added, with fishermen who go out in their boat and come back with very little unable to pay the fuel bill, "let alone the share of the wages of the men on your boat".
Sir Alan said he wanted "to see the government negotiate really assertively to get some more quota, that is, the actual right to fish particular species".
He also wanted to see more quotas swapped with other countries "in order to ensure that fish which actually are there and plentiful can be fished, while at the same time, continuing to protect species which are in short supply".
"I think the government has got to look at the fuel crisis which fishermen face," he added.
"Other governments in EU countries have been making some temporary help available to their fishing industries because they can see that if they're not very careful more people will go out of business.
"The fishing industry has been losing men for many years now. In some places it's a shadow of its former self, and that's a big hit for some of the rural economies.
"I think people also like to see a continuing fishing industry. When they go on holiday to the seaside they like to see fishing still going on."
Fishing was central to the local economy, he said, adding: "We've had a series of blows over a number of years which have driven people out of the industry.
"We used to have much more extensive salmon fishing than is now allowed because of changes in the law. So in all sorts of ways, the contribution of the fishing industry to the local economy is being pushed right right to the margin. In rural areas you can't really afford this sort of thing."
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