EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement: Fishing Industry

Stephen Flynn Excerpts

Thursday 14th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[George Eustice]

This is an issue that is often raised and refers, I think, specifically to a Lithuanian vessel that started to access our waters last year, targeting mainly horse mackerel. There are things we can do and are doing through technical measures. We have already banned pulse trawlers, which were predominantly a Dutch part of the fleet. We are also looking at new spatial measures to protect Dogger Bank.

[Stephen Flynn (Aberdeen South) (SNP) [V]]

Mr Speaker:

“as a seafood exporter, it feels as though our own government has thrown us into the cold Atlantic waters without a lifejacket”.

Those are not my words, but those of John Ross Jr., an historic smoked salmon producer based in my Aberdeen South constituency. Will the Secretary of State stop patronising businesses by referring to this Brexit chaos as “teething issues”? Will he apologise to John Ross Jr. and can he confirm when he will deliver full financial compensation for all the damage his Government are currently causing?

[George Eustice]

The salmon industry in Scotland benefits from tariff-free access to the EU market. While there have been, as I said, some problems, particularly around groupage and mixed consignments, the salmon trade has continued. We estimate that there are about 20 to 30 lorries a day crossing the short straits predominantly carrying Scottish salmon.