Post-Brexit, the SNP has been accused of delaying export paperwork for Scottish fishermen in order to push their pursuit for an independent Scotland. Such are the apparent delays, fishermen are now being forced to wait five times longer to export produce to the continent. With checks performed by Holyrood, Scottish Tories have accused the SNP of not “lifting a finger” to help Scottish fishermen.
The problem lies with the need for health certificates and customs declarations before fish can be exported.
However, due to the added waiting time, Scottish fishermen are now reporting they may not be able to continue their respective businesses.
Jimmy Buchan of the Scottish Seafood Association told the Daily Business Group: “The problem is definitely in Scotland, at the hubs prior to dispatch.
“It’s the one thing that we have continuously asked Government, are they ready?
“They kept asking us, were we ready? And we are ready, but it appears that Government are not.”
Fishing for Leave also laid the blame at the Scottish Government’s door.
Labelling the current scenario as a “disgrace”, they insisted the problems lie within a Scottish Government not being prepared for Brexit.
They said: “Nothing to do with Brexit- huge volumes go to the rest of the world on WTO.
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“How can they plausibly claim that Food Standards Scotland have enough resources when industry experts are telling us that checks in Scotland are taking five times as long as they should?
“It’s a sad fact that the government in Edinburgh are crossing their fingers and hoping for failure so they can try to score political points, instead of doing their job and giving the Scottish fishing industry all the necessary resources.”
In response, SNP MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Maureen Watt, said the Tories had caused the issues.
She instead warned the new rules surrounding Brexit, rather than the Scottish Government, were causing the delays to exports.
IT problems had been experienced at French ports which caused delays on fish stocks arriving.
The UK Government has stated these have now been remedied, however, saying: “Both the UK and French systems are working.
“We are contacting exporters, their representatives and transporters to help them understand the requirements and we will work closely with them to keep their goods moving.”
Some Scottish fishermen have halted exports to the EU over the delays due to the introduction of new paperwork.
Responding to reports of delays with exporting seafood from Scotland to the EU as a result of post-Brexit arrangements, Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “The Scottish Government, together with Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and Scottish Local Authorities, have been working intensively for many months to mitigate the worst impacts of the new requirements for Export Health Certificates (EHCs) – which is a direct result of the UK Government’s approach to EU Exit.
“This has included engaging with businesses and organisations like the Scottish Seafood Association to make sure that everyone knows what needs to be done to get products to their key markets in the EU.
“We have been working with logistics companies to provide an EHC service at a number of central Scotland logistics hubs, thereby reducing the burden on Local Authorities.
“We are all learning – including businesses – how to manage the considerable burden of this new bureaucracy on exporting food products.
“We know how frustrating, time consuming and indeed costly this is for Scottish businesses – we warned the UK Government that exporters needed much more clarity much sooner than they got on what the export process would involve after the transition period ended and that its plans to leave the single market would create barriers like this.
“FSS has the necessary veterinary capacity at the hubs and we will continue to work closely with businesses and organisations to ensure that we are all doing everything possible to minimise delays and expedite product journeys. That includes applying an appropriate level of scrutiny to ensure that businesses are accurately completing all necessary paperwork.
“It is far better for problems to be identified and resolved here in Scotland and not have consignments being turned back hundreds of miles away or refused when they arrive at the end of their journey.
“SG and FSS are working closely with industry to address these issues and it will need a collective and co-operative approach between government and industry to ensure this vital sector can continue to export.”
