Thread on the fishing export crisis

Why the focus on Scotland?

Because Scotland dominates the UK catch.

A quarter of the value of all UK landings come into Peterhead alone....1/

And a majority of the UK catch is exported.

By weight the UK actually exports more fish than it lands, when fish farming is included.

Scottish farmed salmon is a huge part of those UK exports...2/

Here are some indications of where UK seafood goes.

It should be obvious why any problems getting product into the EU is a catastrophe.

Around 70% of Scottish seafood goes to the EU

That’s why the exports problems have been so devastating for the Scottish industry...3/

The industry reports some Scottish boats are landing their catch in mainland Europe.

Does it matter?

Yes, because more people are actually employed in fish processing in Scotland than there are working on boats...4/

The industry is calling for a 6-month grace period, to allow businesses to get used to the new bureaucracy.

But that would require EU co-operation.

Is that realistic?...5/ https://twitter.com/SeafoodFromScot/status/1349652442066149376?s=20

Some experts are sceptical.

@SamuelMarcLowe of @CER_EU

...6

Are these issues “temporary” as the PM says?

Just “teething problems” as the environment minister argues?

We have to hope so....7/ https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1349400180580298759

But the danger is that the longer the chaos continues the greater grows the danger of a permanent shift in supply and demand patterns in the European seafood trade.

“Lose a customer here and in many cases it's for good," says @AllieRenison of @The_IoD ...8/

More here for @indypremium

ENDS https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/politics-explained/fish-scotland-brexit-exports-b1787389.html