EU deal: Whitby fisherman 'devastated' by government betrayal of the fishing industry

Mr Locker, director of Lockers Trawlers in Whitby, and former chairman of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, said he was “absolutely devastated” by an announcement which “sacrificed” the industry for other interests.

Under the arrangement – which Mr Locker said was “worse” than what he’d feared – the current five-year deal that grants EU fishermen access to UK coastal waters will roll over – for another 12 years, until 2038.

He said: “We understand they are trading away access to UK waters for a veterinary agreement (which slashes red tape on food and drink exports and imports between the UK and EU).

"The agreement will give us around £1 for each box of fish we export. But we have given away all our bargaining power by having this free-flowing agreement that allows vessels to fish year on year for the next 12 years, regardless of what the politicians and scientists say.”

Virtually all the fishing boats seen in Bridlington, Scarborough and Hornsea fish for crab and lobster and aren’t directly affected as they don't operate on quotas.

However there is potential for conflict as the deal means EU trawlers can carry on fishing six miles off the Yorkshire coast – right in the middle of the shellfishing grounds.

Mr Locker’s business is one of the last in the region still fishing for cod, haddock, saithe and whiting. But its trawlers operate out of Peterhead in Scotland. He said: “The fishing fraternity certainly in Yorkshire has been wiped out.

"It started with Ted Heath and the deal he did to get us into the Common Market. And it has been various Prime Ministers since then continuing with Sir Keir. Why should one industry be sacrificed for everyone else?They keep saying we are a small industry – if we were allowed to catch a large majority of everything in our waters we would be a large industry. The Chancellor says she wants growth and she keeps giving everything away.

"If we were allowed to catch all the quota around the UK to 200 miles we would be a huge industry.

"As it is we are the only independent fisheries nation which is not allowed to catch all the fish that is in UK waters.”

David Jenkinson, director of Edwin Jenkinson of Scarborough, Yorkshire's biggest exporter of live lobsters to Europe, said: “They sold us down the river again. The EU want (access to UK waters) so much and we give it away willy nilly, that's the problem.

“It is just one way traffic.”

Sir Keir said the new agreement would make it easier for fishermen to sell their catch to Europe.

The PM said: “It is incredibly important for fish, because over 70 per cent of our seafood goes into the European market. So, for the first time under this arrangement, our fishing communities are able to sell more easily into the European market.”

He claimed the 12-year extension provided “stability” instead of having the uncertainty of successive year-on-year negotiations.