Seafood industry bemoans border delays

CUSTOMS arrangements in the wake of Brexit are causing delays as “entire trailers” need to be checked rather than samples, members of the Scottish seafood industry have said.

The Scottish Seafood Association, which represents processors, says exports to the EU are already being hit by unnecessary delays.

The industry body says the problem is likely to get worse in the coming days as the pace of trade increases.

Some fishing and seafood companies have complained on social media that the export arrangements are a “shambles”.

Jimmy Buchan, chief executive of the association, said: “Trucks laden with fresh seafood are being held up in central Scotland due to problems with customs barcodes and lack of veterinary service capacity.

“Instead of representative samples being removed from trucks and checked, entire trailers are being emptied so that every box and label can be checked.

“Combined with computer problems on both sides of the English Channel, this is a worrying sign for the days and weeks ahead when the flow of produce will get much greater.”

He continued: “These issues have a detrimental impact on our member businesses, because ultimately they lose revenue and prices in the market become depressed in reaction to the problems. We are at the point now where the whitefish fleet may have to stop fishing.

“Things are tough enough due to Covid- 19 without this on top.

“Ministers of both the UK and Scottish governments need to get on top of the situation and resolve these issues as soon as possible.”

When the border with France was closed in December due to the new coronavirus strain emerging in the UK, the association warned that perishable seafood could go to waste if it was stuck in transit.

Following the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31, new rules around trade between the UK and EU came into force.

While little disruption was reported in the early days of the new arrangements, the volume of cross- border trade is expected to increase.

SB Fish, which is based at Troon in South Ayrshire, tweeted on Wednesday that none of their trucks bound for France had left a haulage hub.

They said: “Not one single Truck has left from our Hauliers/ Hub. It’s now becoming a complete shambles.”