Bertie Armstrong, leader of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, insisted last night that any extension beyond then was “unacceptable”. He said that whatever else happened over the transition period, there was “absolutely no practical reason why it should apply to an extension of the CFP”. He added: “On Brexit day next year we will become a coastal state, but we have now, to our annoyance, agreed to run on the rules of the CFP for an implementation period. That simply cannot be extended, it is not acceptable. “We are watching the confusion that exists, we are already talking at the highest level, and our views have been made absolutely clear. “Our biggest defence in all of this is an extremely strong line of irrefutable logic. We will become an independent coastal state with a load of rights and responsibilities and that will mean a very great deal. In the words of a Scottish Government report, pounds500 million a year, and 5,000 jobs, are at stake here. We must get on with capturing that opportunity.” David Duguid, the MP for Banff and Buchan - a “fishing constituency” held by the EU-supporting SNP for 30 years before his election last year - said December 2019 should be the last time that Britain sits at the CFP table negotiating as a member state of the EU.
The Scottish secretary, David Mundell, has suggested that he will resign if an extension to Brexit negotiations prevents a withdrawal from the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) as soon as possible. After accepting a 21-month implementation period after exiting the EU, the fishing industry will only be able to negotiate fishing rights in next year. Mundell said any further delays to exiting the CFP would strengthen the Scottish National Party's ambitions for independence and, in common with Ruth Davidson, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said any special status given to Northern Ireland would undermine the UK's integrity.