DORSET fishermen hoping to regain their waters in the wake of Brexit may have their hopes crushed by a leaked document.

The fishing industry was one of the most vocal during the EU referendum, seeing it as an opportunity to escape tough EU controls of fishing quotas outlined in the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

However, according to a leaked EU document there will be “no increase to the UK’s share of fishing opportunities for jointly fished stocks (maintaining the existing quota distribution in UK and EU waters).”

The document comes after campaign promises from the likes of Boris Johnson and the minster for fisheries George Eustace that Brexit would provide a good deal and fairer allocations for the UK’s trawlermen.

Andy Alcock from the Weymouth and Portland Licensed Fishermen’s Association said: “I think the general consensus is that 99 per cent of fishermen in the country voted for Brexit mainly because of the CFP. The hope was that we come out it would return the waters to UK fishermen.This is not what we voted for, this is not what we were promised.”

The CFP was adopted in 1983 as a way to sustain stocks and protect waters from overfishing, however its enforced national quotas and open waters to member states has been a a source of long-standing grievances.

Andy added: “The fishing minster is not listening to us, it’s all about ‘maintaining relations’ but it’s not in our best interest. It means the EU will still be allowed to plunder our waters and still be allowed to take our fish.

“Fishermen are not on any government priority lists and that has been the attitude of so many consecutive governments. Their view is we can import fish so fishermen are never, ever a big priority.”

The long-awaited government White Paper on leaving the EU failed to offer future commitments to the country’s fishermen simply stating that “in 2015 EU vessels caught 683,000 tonnes (£484m revenue) in UK waters and UK vessels caught 111,000 tonnes (£114m revenue) in member states’ waters.”

The revelations have not been welcomed by South Dorset MP Richard Drax. He said: “The whole point of leaving the EU in its entirety is that we, as a sovereign nation, will be able to make and live under rules made by democratically elected politicians.

“It is maybe a patent reminder of why we are leaving the EU with a leaked document such as this, which to all intents and purposes, threatens the UK fishing industry to the extent we won’t get our waters back.

“That is not what I have fought so long and so hard for and I personally want to see the end of the CFP and the UK once again in control of her fishing waters. The fishing industry has been utterly detonated since we joined the EU.”