BREXIT will “dramatically increase” the amount of fish available to be caught in British waters, Environment Secreatry Michael Gove promised yesterday.

On a visit to meet key figures from the fishing industry in Peterhead, north-east Scotland, he said leaving the EU will create a “sea of opportunity” for fishermen in the UK.

2 There will be a 'sea of opportunity' for the UK fishing industry once Britain leaves the EU Credit: Reuters

Mr Gove - who returned to the Cabinet earlier this month - said he was confident Britain would secure a free trade deal with the EU - and said anything else would cripple the bloc’s 27 member states more than Britain.

Speaking ahead of Brexit talks with Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, the leading Vote Leave campaigner said: “There is a sea of opportunity for us out there as we leave the European Union.

“I don’t think anyone envisages anything other than a free trade arrangement between Britain and the European Union.

2 Environment Secretary Michael Gove says we will 'take back control of our territorial waters' Credit: Rex Features

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“No deal is indeed better than a bad deal, but I think that, because we have a trade deficit with the European Union, because they sell more to us than we sell to them not just in agriculture but also in other manufactured goods as well, it’s clearly in the EU 27’s interests to come to a deal, but more than that, it’s in our interests to be able to dramatically increase the amount of fish that we catch.

“We can do so because once we take back control of our territorial waters, we can decide who comes here, we can decide on what terms and we can also have a far more sensible, environmentally wise policy which enables us to conserve and grow the stock of an amazing renewable resource.”