The European Union has been accused of operating "double standards" with its fishing policy over concerns that red tape forced on the South West fleet could be relaxed for fish imports from depleted stocks elsewhere.

The accusation was made by William Dartmouth, the UK Independence MEP for the South West, who fired a broadside at the EU for considering striking a deal with Morocco over imported fish.

Speaking after a meeting of the Fisheries Committee, Lord Dartmouth said they were being asked to accept a deal which allowed Morocco to operate freely in disputed fishing grounds off the West Sahara Coast and then import its catch into the EU.

He said: "It is well known that our fishing industry in the South West has been practically destroyed by rules and regulations laid down by the European Union.

"We have been forced to follow rules on anti-dumping, perceived dangers to the environment, food safety and claims that the stocks were depleted.

"Yet we are now being asked to support a deal between Morocco and the European Union in which all that has been totally ignored. It is an act of double standards that is almost beyond belief."

Lord Dartmouth, who is a member of the International Trade Committee, said the deal would allow fish from an over-exploited and under-regulated area to be sold on the EU marketplace.

He added: "It is a very grubby deal. Even the legal body of the European Parliament is against it. We shall be recommending that this deal is rejected by the European Parliament.

"How can it be right that Morocco, which has no recognised claims to these waters, can be allowed to carry on without the strict restrictions that the British fishing industry has had to bear for so long?"

He said many fish stocks in both Moroccan waters and the disputed waters of South Sahara are over-fished and the EU market should not be open to fish from depleted stocks.

"The EU wants to trash the fishing grounds of the Western Sahara just as they have trashed those of the South West. This is completely unacceptable," he added.

Jim Portus, chief executive of the South West Fish Producers' organisation said there were already a number of agreements with countries allowing imported fish into the EU. He called for the bureaucrats to do more to cut wasted catches so there would be less need to import fish in this way.

He said: "I hope Lord Dartmouth can do what he can to lessen the burden of bureaucracy on our fishermen and improve management in EU waters. If things were better managed we need not be so reliant on fish coming into the EU from outside."