“It could be the final straw for many businesses” - Fishing leaders warn that the bureaucratic requirements the government says are needed to export fish to the EU from 1 January will have a “seriously detrimental effect” on the industry.

The full letter to Environment Secretary George Eustice.

Signed by a very extensive list of industry figures.

“Any hold-up in the chain is going to be a complete disaster for us” Brixham fish merchant Ian Perkes.

“They’re absolutely impossible – it’s simply not possible to do what’s being asked” - former @DefraGovUK Director of Fisheries Rodney Anderson on the new rules the government says will be necessary to export fish to the EU from January 1.

Environment Secretary George Eustice says "there may have been some misunderstandings in the communication here between the @The_MMO and some local fishing groups".

George Eustice says catch certificates will be "automatically generated from a new IT system we've set up that over two-thirds of fish exporters are already signed up to".

Environment Secretary George Eustice’s reply to the fishing industry leaders concerned about the new requirements for export to the EU from January 1.

Fish merchant Ian Perkes - who signed the original letter - says there was "nothing positive" in George Eustice's response and still insists the government has left the industry under-prepared for a "life-changing" moment which will see him incur "massive costs".

Fish merchant Ian Perkes says it "beggars belief" that he and his colleagues - buying from an auction served by multiple boats, each fishing in multiple locations - will be expected to identify where each species they export was caught.

Mr Perkes says the haulier he uses - carrying fish from several exporters in one load - has warned him that if a mistake with his paperwork leads to the truck being turned back at the border he will be liable for the retail value of the truck's entire load - which could be £150k.

"We're going to get our fish back, we're going to get our waters back, all the roses in the garden have come up, we've died and gone to heaven - but it's not the case" - Fish merchant and Leave voter Ian Perkes says he's been "led down the garden path".

"We're stuffed" - Brixham fish merchant Ian Perkes says he's unable to export his fish to France now the new post-Brexit rules and regulation have come into force.

https://twitter.com/samwaysfish/status/1346886334850486278

"We have got European customers that have decided to stop purchasing...the reality of that is that the prices fall, so who does that have an impact on the most - it's our fishermen" - @charliesamways of Dorset fish merchants @SamwaysFish.

"One moment we're being told it's IT issues, the next it's coming back that it's paperwork and then they're not sure - it might be IT, it might be the Catch Certificate, it might be the Health Certificate" - @charliesamways of Dorset fish merchants @SamwaysFish.

. @DFDSGroup to resume Grouoage Export Service - where consignments of fish or shellfish from different fish merchants are sent in the same truck - on January 18, following its suspension on January 8. BUT based on a three-day delivery timescale rather than the usual 24 hours.

"To say its a kink, to say it's just a few teething problems is nonsense and it's dreadfully arrogant" - shellfish exporter Mark Moore of the Dartmouth Crab Co responds to the government's insistence that the industry's problems exporting to the EU are "only teething problems".

"I disagree with the way he's caricatured it" - Environment Secretary George Eustice responds. Says we've seen "teething problems with some errors being made because some people are not as experienced as others about dealing with the paperwork".

George Eustice says "the larger fish processors - those that are used to trading around the world, people like @falfish down in Cornwall - have mastered the process quite quickly".

"We are looking at a support package and will be saying more shortly" - Environment Secretary George Eustice on @BorisJohnson's pledge to compensate fish exporters struggling to export their product to the EU.

"These aren't teething problems - these are system-wide issues with a new system that is inefficient, burdensome, expensive and going to put our fishing industry at a material disadvantage" - Shadow Environment Secretary @LukePollard.

"The whole process for exporting live shellfish doesn't fit the procedures that we have to follow" - Dylan Huxley of the Dartmouth Crab Company who drove his lorry to Westminster today to take part in the fish merchants' protest against the new requirements for export to the EU.

"If we can't get some of these things changed it's not going to be viable for the likes of us to operate" - Dylan Huxley from the Dartmouth Crab Company.

“The issues that are unfolding with seafood exports are a disaster...Our concern is that these issues become the norm over the long-term” - Mark Simmonds, Director of Policy at @britishports.

Full release from @britishports here:

https://us12.campaign-archive.com/?u=9fa5533f9884aad39ffc18f0e&id=d55a1be759

"We need to sit down & renegotiate some sort of free-flowing agreement" - fish merchant Andy Trust says post-Brexit regulations make it uneconomical for him to export fish to EU. Says Govt's claim that people need to get used to the new paperwork is "not going to be a solution".

. @CommonsEFRA chair @neil_parish says we "may have to play hardball" with the EU if "access to the market is not there".

. @CommonsEFRA launches urgent inquiry’s to Brexit border delays for meat and seafood exports.

“This needs to be gripped by the Government at the highest level before businesses go to the wall@ - @CommonsEFRA chair @neil_parish.

. @CommonsEFRA has also written to Environment Secretary asking for more detail on £23 million compensation fund for fish exporters & for estimates of cost to date to UK food businesses caused by border issues & delays. Answers requested by next Friday. https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/4505/documents/45371/default/

"There isn't going to be a fishing industry in five years' time - for every man at sea there's twenty ashore" - Cornish fish merchant Andy Trust. Says impact of Covid "pales into insignificance" compared to Brexit.

"This is going to finish the whole fishery here" - Fal oyster fisherman says his industry will be a "complete write-off" if the government can't negotiate a way around the EU rules banning the import of unpurified bivalve molluscs.

A month ago @DefraGovUK suggested the problem would be solved by April at the latest and possibly sooner.

Less than a fortnight later the French government relayed this response from the European Commission to @CornwallCouncil’s enquiry as to whether unpurified queen scallops could still be exported from the UK to the EU: “No longer possible”.

Today Environment Secretary George Eustice said the @EU_Commission had "changed its position" several times. Claims EU's starting position was to work towards approving export health certification. Says export ban "based on misinterpretation of their own laws and unjustified".

"Far from being in a position where we have an expanded fishing sector in five years' time, there is a real danger of vessels going to the wall now and having no sector left" - @sheryllmurray (Conservative backbencher and Brexiteer with a background in the fishing industry).

Replying, Leader of the House @Jacob_Rees_Mogg said:"The initial difficulties are very serious that fishermen have faced and these are not taken lightly by the government".

"It's been an unmitigated disaster. We've already seen seafood businesses close their doors & I suspect there are many more that are currently hanging on by their fingernails & going bankrupt slowly" - Marine & Fisheries Consultant @Giveitago1 giving evidence to @CommonsIntTrade.

"I have greater confidence in the future of our fishermen because they have lived with the Commons Fisheries Policy for 40-odd years and they found a way through and I believe they will find a way through here" - St Ives MP @DerekThomasUK who represents the port of Newlyn.

But @DerekThomasUK says the Prime Minister needs to "wade in and demonstrate his absolute commitment to the fishing industry by making sure that France is doing anything that they shouldn't be doing".

"The Commission have not replied to the letter yet. I understand from officials at the moment they're not minded to change their position" - Environment Secretary George Eustice on the Govt's challenge to EU ban on imports of unpurified bivalve molluscs like oyster and mussels.

"It is true that something is left even when you get it working well" - Environment Sec George Eustice asked if Govt still thinks difficulties with fish exports are "teething problems". Says Govt wants a "veterinary partnership agreement" with EU to "try & get some easements".

"We've almost been promised the world and given nothing. It's heart-breaking to think the government would do that to an industry...The government need to be held accountable for what they've done to us" - Plymouth fisherman Steve Walker speaking at @plymouthcc's fishing inquiry.

South East Cornwall MP @sheryllmurray says she's asked to meet the Prime Minister with a delegation of MPs from coastal constituencies to discuss the "desperate time" facing the fishing industry.