Specialist team aiming to get Scottish seafood exports to Europe back on track
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A specialist team is being assembled to help seafood exporters get their trade with the European Union back on track after the damaging delays caused by post-Brexit bureaucracy.
The exporting consultants will be brought together by trade body Seafood Scotland in a bid to move forward from the problems encountered by many firms over the past four weeks.
Seafood businesses from many Scottish coastal communities have struggled to get their goods into vital EU markets following the end of the Brexit transition period, with reports of more than £1 million a day being lost in overseas sales.
"With sector resilience already weakened by a year of Covid-19 restrictions and the French border closure over the crucial Christmas trading period, the fallout from the administration problems caused by changes in regulations post-January 1 could not have come at a worse time," Seafood Scotland said in a statement.
"Problems have ranged from a lack of clarity in relation to the information that’s required, inconsistencies as to how authorities in different ports have been applying the rules, and significant issues with the new systems companies are expected to use. This has meant that many Scottish seafood companies have struggled to get any product at all to their valued, long-standing European customers."
The organisation is hiring a new team with decades of experience in the management of export supply chains to help troubleshoot and get the flow of trade to Europe going again.
The two new Scotland-based appointments are Alastair Kennedy and Steve Galloway.
Mr Kennedy said: “I’m really looking forward to getting the ball rolling. Having worked in the seafood sector for the last eight years, I know it is full of talented, passionate people who have had a really tough time of it over the last year.
"The seafood they produce is world-class and it will be truly rewarding to help get it back into Europe – a market that highly values its quality. There’s a lot of work to be done, but many of the issues the sector currently faces are resolvable and I look forward to playing a part in making this happen.”
In addition to the domestic team, Seafood Scotland hopes to appoint a Boulogne consultant in the coming days to help give on-the-ground support from a European standpoint.
Funded through the joint recovery plan from the Scottish Government and Scotland’s Food and Drink, the team will work closely with companies to help them better understand the new business practices to export to the EU, including the customs and export certification processes.
Seafood Scotland says this will bolster businesses’ chances of returning to pre-Brexit levels of trade with Europe as soon as possible.
The organisation's chief executive, Donna Fordyce, said: “The funding from the Scottish Government has been welcomed by the sector and we’re pleased that we could get a team in place so quickly.
“The first two appointments are armed with decades of industry experience and are ready to hit the ground running by immediately starting in their roles and tackling the most pertinent issues.
"However, there remain issues inherent to the system in place and therefore we are continuing to request a grace period so that the UK and EU can resolve these without it having a negative impact on trade in the meantime.
“Once these most immediate problems have been resolved, our team will then start to look at the bigger picture to establish how businesses can adapt and indeed thrive in the new post-Brexit era.”
Scotland's rural economy secretary Fergus Ewing said: “The seafood sector has been devastated by this poor Brexit deal and we cannot wait for the UK government to solve the administrative problems they have created.
“Our focus is on resolving the issues around exports and making sure the process runs as smoothly as possible, which is why as an immediate priority we are funding these new posts to provide in-depth expert support to exporters across Scotland and help them navigate the new and onerous processes.
"We continue to back calls from our food and drink businesses for a six-month grace period to allow exporters more time to digest the outcome of negotiations on a trade deal and prepare as best as they can.”
The UK government has pledged up to £23 million to support fishing businesses that have been affected.
It says it has been working closely with the seafood industry and individual businesses "to support them through this period and to ensure that any errors or problems are tackled as early as possible".
Support will be paid retrospectively to cover losses since the start of January, with claims of up to £100,000 available. The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and HM Revenue and Customs will also be offering support to help businesses meet the new requirements.
This includes a new training package and workshop sessions.
The funding will be open to fishing businesses across the UK that export to the EU and will be administered by the Marine Management Organisation. The UK government says it will be consulting across the country and working with the devolved administrations on eligibility criteria.
The UK government also says it has provided nearly £200 million to the Scottish Government "to prepare for leaving the EU, to minimise disruption and guarantee business readiness".
UK environment, food and rural affairs secretary George Eustice said: "This £23 million scheme will provide crucial support for fishermen and seafood exporters who have experienced delays and a lack of demand for fish from the restaurant industry in the UK and Europe.
"We are continuing to work closely with the fishing and aquaculture sectors to make sure that they are supported, and can continue to fish while contributing to the economies of our coastal communities."
Diane Watt of Holborn Fishing Company, one of the Caithness businesses caught up in the export delays, said the appointment of the specialist team "can only but help". She added: "Regarding the funding, why is it just the processors that are getting compensated? Without the boats and their catches there would be no processors."
