SIR - We may be a long way from the coast but our history is tied to the fact that we are an island and have been dependent for much of our history on our maritime resources.

However the EU continues to do its best to destroy our heritage. It has just decided that for the English Channel, 73 per cent of the cod quota should be given to France and only 8 per cent to British fishermen.

This decision is further compounded by our Government, which has decided that the 24 large boats fishing these waters should get the major share of our minute quota and the 315 smaller boats should try to survive on just over 2 per cent of the total quota - which they have already reached and will, therefore, be unable to put to sea for the rest of the year to fish for cod.

It also means that if any boat catches cod it will have to be thrown overboard. The EU fisheries commissioner accepts that in British waters this could lead to nearly a million tonnes of cod being thrown away.

Interestingly, this year the Conservative Party fell in line behind the Government and dropped its opposition to the EU fisheries policy.

The conclusion has to be we would be far better off out of the EU. Norway and Iceland manage a sustainable fisheries policy and throw away minuscule amounts of fish.

Mark Starr, Leigh Sinton.