ELECTION candidates have backed a campaign to give local sustainable fishermen a fairer deal.

All prospective candidates for West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin's parliamentary seat signed up to a five-point plan, set up in partnership between Greenpeace and NUTFA (New Under Ten Fishermen's Association) - at a public meeting in Lyme Regis.

Campaigners are urging politicians to sign up as Coastal Champions when they stop off in marginal constituencies ahead of May's general election, with their sustainable fishing boat The Rising Tide.

The politicians have pledged to give local, sustainable boats a fair share of quota, restore fish stocks by rewarding selective fishing methods, protect waters, give local fishermen priority access to coastal waters and ensure small scale fishermen are represented at the highest level in Europe.

Greenpeace campaigner Hannah Martin, said: "It's about giving a fair deal to local fishermen and putting local fishermen at the beginning of the queue.

"Local, sustainable fishing has a proud history in Lyme Regis but fishermen here have been neglected for decades. The industrial and foreign factory fleet are currently given the lion's share of the quota by the government."

But the chairman of the Lyme Bay Fisheries and Conservation Reserve Tim Glover believes there needs to be some local action to have any impact.

"The quota system is not fit for purpose in my view" he said. "We all know it doesn't support the local inshore fishermen at all, and something needs to be done.

"I think, rather than upcoming election talk, there needs to be action. It has to be a balance of good conservation and fisheries and you can't have one without the other."

Concerns for quotas to be fairer are top of the agenda for Dorset fishermen.

Lyme fisherman Nigel March said: "It's about time that something is done for the benefit for fishermen on smaller boats.

"We are trying to make a living, but the trawlers are so dominant - so it's great that people are actually talking about it here."

Candidates were given the chance to say what they would do to stand up for local fishermen if they are elected.

Liberal Democrats candidate Ros Kayes said: "We want to see an expansion of European marine sites across the UK and we're going to institute a review to reassess the difference between large and small scale quota distribution.

"I really do want us to expand the Lyme Bay Marine National Park into a proper national park."

UKIP candidate David Glossop said his party would withdraw from the EU Common Fisheries Policy to 'reclaim our territorial fishing waters'.

"We want to introduce a 12-mile limit for UK fishing only and a 200-mile exclusive economic zone under UK control" he said.

But Lyme Regis resident Matt Fortnam questioned Mr Glossop's suggestions, given that fish move from one area to another.

"There is a proposed economic committee to manage the ecology of the English Channel" explained Mr Glossop. "Greenpeace are involved in that and it's being set up with money from French and British governments and also the EU. I'm not promoting the EU in that at all."

Green Party candidate Peter Barton suggested there may be some basis in considering lowering the quotas in order to protect stocks - but that local fishermen should be given priority. The ideas were met with some criticism from fishermen.

"We give support to the idea of small fishermen being able to have priority when it comes to quotas, specifically within the 12-mile region" explained Mr Barton.

"We would apply the precautionary principle of setting quotas. The levels that are currently being pitched at the moment are too high and the stocks are not reproducing themselves."

Labour candidate Rachel Rogers agreed that local fishermen should be given priority regarding quotas and said that whoever forms the next government should have no reason not to argue in favour of the pledges.

"Small scale fishermen, who have been working in communities like this, have been fishing responsibly for generations" she said. "More of that quota needs to be be given to sustainable fishing, which will create jobs and inject cash into our local community - and also improve the marine environment."

Oliver Letwin, who had already signed up as a Coastal Champion, could not attend the meeting - but he sent a statement to be read out.

"I have a long record of active support for local fishermen, including support right at present in resolving a problem for a proposed new fish cooler for local fishermen in Lyme Regis" he said. "If re-elected in West Dorset, I shall continue to advocate the case of sustainable local fisheries."