Scottish Fishermen’s Federation honorary president Willie Hay

Scottish Fishermen’s Federation honorary president Willie Hay CBE has died aged 84.

Mr Hay was president of the SFF from 1982 to 1993, when he helped steer the industry through a particularly turbulent period, including the reform of the CFP.

From Portsoy, Mr Hay first went to sea aged only 15 in 1943 working on a fishing vessel in the Firth of Clyde that was involved in aiding the war effort, including ferrying troops and sailors to their warships.

His interest in fishing politics came to a fore in 1975 when he was appointed chairman of the blockade committee that was coordinating a series of blockades of Scottish ports demanding a unilateral 100-mile fishing limit for the UK.