Labour candidate urges government action on fish exports
Charley-Kai JohnLabour candidate Johan Adamson met fishing officials this week to discuss the issues facing the isles’ industry.
Transport is a key issue, with Ms Adamson urging the government and Serco Northlink to reassure fishermen that their produce can still be exported.
“With some urgency, Serco Northlink and the government need to assure them that we can continue to export our fish,” said Ms Adamson.
“They also want to grow their business when the new fish markets are opened and are seriously worried about our ability to transport our valuable commodity when landings increase. When we contribute so much to the Scottish economy it would be good to know this effort is appreciated.”
Ms Adamson spoke about the pelagic and whitefish industries with Sheila Keith and Brian Isbister at a Shetland Fishermen’s Association (SFA) and Shetland Fish Producers’ Organisation (SFPO) meeting earlier this week.
The by-election candidate said of the meeting, that SFA and SFPO would love to contribute to the government’s Ambition 2030 for the food and drink industry, but are severely hampered by the transport system.
“In October, because of the need to transport animals from Shetland and Orkney, there will be no room on some journeys for the fish and no direct route to market on some days,” she added.
Transport and freight capacity is set to be a central topic in Shetland’s upcoming by-election, which takes place on 29th August.
John Tulloch
Why don’t they put on a daily run to Caithness, specifically for lorries but which cars could also use if space is available?
With a suitably sized, fuel efficient vessel like Prntland Ferries one that operates without subsidy, there could also be a considerable cost saving to business and other users.
James J Paton
The Labour candidate is right to raise the issue of transport, a ‘competency’ of the Holyrood Parliament.
However, it’s all very well getting the fish of the islands, but will post-Brexit tariffs over-price it for the Spanish, French et all markets?
Given Boris is haplessly trying to get a new deal before October – he won’t – the bigger questions for the industry must be what does a no-deal WTO rules departure ha e to say about tariffs on fish? Anyone?
Labour’s track record at Holyrood since its inception has not been good. Blair famously did not want it, of course.
With the Greens having supported the SNP on their budget ( black hole over-spend?), it would seem that the logical thing to do is to return a true independent. Mr Ian Scott has a very fine mind and would not be troubled by party shenanigans. In a hung parliament every vote increasingly counts and that would give greater credence to an independent candidate.
John Tulloch
@James Paton, you ask:
” ….what does a no-deal WTO rules departure ha e (sic) to say about tariffs on fish?”
There is a school of thought that most, if not all, of any tariffs that apply will “end up in the cod end”. That is, the price of landed fish would drop and fishermen would bear the cost.
Tariffs would only occur in the event of “No deal”, i.e. no betrayal of the industry in negotiations, thus fishermen would be more than compensated by the vastly increased catches resulting from the return of our fishing grounds.