SIR - A very informative and thoughtful pamphlet written by MEP, Ray Finch member of the EFDD Group in the European Parliament describes how the UK has suffered under the Common Fisheries Policy. UK was badly treated when the quotas were divided out in 1983. With 80% of the stocks it got an allocation of just 37% by volume - representing as little as 12% by value. The practice known as "quota-hopping" is the purchase of UK boats and shipping licences by foreign companies and ship owners to exploit UK quotas. When the Tories tried to make it impossible for them to operate in UK waters in 1991 it was over-ruled by the European Court of Justice; this was known as the Factorame judgement.

At the time of this judgement, the UK was the fifth largest recipient of (Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance ) FIFG grants between 1994 and 1997, receiving 173m ecus. By contrast Portugal received 248m ecus, France 267m ecus and Spain a massive 1.163b ecus.. This equates to around £150m of UK taxpayers' money channelled to foreign fishermen.

Under the CFP the UK fishing industry has been drastically reduced in size of fishermen and vessels. Statistics from the government's Marine Management Organisation (MMO) indicate that the number of vessels has decreased from 10,295 in 1994 to 6,406 in 2012 with a reduction of fishermen from 20,751 to 12,450 in the same period. Looked at from the customers' perspective, Lee Rotheram from the Taxpayers' Alliance estimates the cost of the CFP in terms of higher bills to be around £186 per household per year - or £3,58 a week.

Ray Finch concludes that the French did in a couple of years what they has failed to do in 900 years of conflict, to negate our navy and plunder our seas - and unless we leave the EU - for the long term.

Some claim that we can only lose by EU exit. Norway has not lost. Its aquaculture industry is one of largest. By staying out Norway is able to have its own seat and voice on key international committees including the World Trade Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation and its fisheries committee. Outside the EU the UK can run its own fisheries with a sensible conservation strategy.

Nigel Farage believes that the CFP is a disaster. I fail to see how anyone could disagree.

Wendy Hands

Upton-upon-Severn