Scottish Fishermen’s Federation says EU deal is ‘disastrous’ | EUROtoday

Some sections of Scotland’s fishing business have accused Sir Keir Starmer’s authorities of “capitulating” to the EU over a deal on entry to UK waters.

Labour ministers have agreed a 12-year deal which extends current entry for EU boats in alternate for decreased checks and restrictions on meals exports.

The settlement was described as “disastrous” by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) whereas Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes mentioned it was a “great betrayal of our fishing fleet”.

But fish farming physique Salmon Scotland welcomed the deal as a “slashing of red tape” which is able to enable Scottish merchandise and folks simpler entry to the EU.

The prime minister formally introduced the deal as a part of the primary UK-EU summit, describing it as a “win-win”.

He mentioned it will “tear down” limitations to commerce and finish the “needlessly difficult” technique of promoting Scottish merchandise in Europe.

Starmer added the fishing settlement would shield UK entry with no enhance in EU vessels, whereas different measures meant shellfish might now be bought once more in Europe.

“This agreement isn’t about revisiting the stale old debates of the past,” he mentioned.

“It’s time now for Britain to look forwards and outwards as a proud, sovereign nation on the world stage – to get the best deal for the people of Scotland and Britain. “

The new sanitary and phytosanitary settlement (SPS) would additionally profit different agricultural exporters whereas holidaymakers will be capable of use eGates at some airports to chop down on passport queue wait instances, Starmer added.

Forbes welcomed nearer co-operation which “unpicks a small part of the damage that Brexit continues to inflict”.

But she criticised the dearth of session with the Scottish authorities over the fishing deal.

“Given the importance of fishing to Scotland it is also astonishing that the Scottish government was giving no warning of this great betrayal of our fishing fleet,” she mentioned.

But SFF chief government Elspeth Macdonald mentioned she was nervous the settlement would finish any “leverage” the UK has in future negotiations.

She advised BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “This is not a roll over, it’s a total capitulation to the EU and a disastrous outcome for the Scottish fishing fleet.

“The EU have clearly reneged on a deal that they signed as much as in 2020 and have mentioned that they require to have one other multi-year deal.

“But in doing so the UK loses all its negotiating capital and all its leverage, so the EU continues to take a far bigger share of the resources in our waters than they are entitled to.

“We’ve at all times been on this place the place fishing appears to be the expendable worth for one thing else that the UK needs.”

While the deal has been criticised, it has also been welcomed in other parts of Scotland’s fishing and food production industries.

Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said the new agreement would help cut the time taken to get products into the EU market.

The body said international sales of salmon from Scotland hit a record £844m in 2024, with France, where Scottish salmon is given the “Label Rouge” quality mark, the largest market at £462m.

Mr Scott said the deal could open up new opportunities for Scottish producers in Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, where demand is rising despite tough competition from Norway and Chile.

“This breakthrough will ease the burden on our farmers, processors and the communities they assist,” he mentioned.

“Scottish salmon is the UK’s largest meals export, with sturdy demand within the EU, the US and past.”

The deal also benefits shellfish producers after the EU banned British fishermen from selling live mussels, oysters, clams, cockles and scallops to its member states in 2021.

Under those rules, fishermen were previously not allowed to transport the animals to the EU unless they had already been treated in purification plants.

Mike Park, chief executive of the Scottish White Fish Association, described the deal as an “utter betrayal”.

He mentioned it was the “third time” the fishing industry had been “bought down the river,” citing decisions by former prime minister Ted Heath, who took the UK into the EU in 1973, and Boris Johnson, who negotiated its exit in the aftermath of Brexit in 2020.

Mr Park said: “We perceive the free circulation of meals merchandise, the EU profit from that and the UK profit from it.

“But here we have a massive fleet coming into UK waters and the UK fishing industry gets nothing out of it.”

Scottish Conservative MP for Gordon and Buchan, Harriet Cross, described the deal as a “surrender” and “one of the biggest acts of betrayal that our fishing industry has seen in Scotland.”

She mentioned: “Our fishermen have been used as a pawn by Keir Starmer, which will result in catastrophic consequences for our coastal communities.”

The UK authorities additionally introduced a £360m fund to put money into coastal communities as a part of the settlement.

It mentioned that will go in direction of new know-how and gear to modernise the fleet, coaching to upskill workforces and assist to “revitalise” coastal communities.

Keir Starmer has described this UK-EU deal as a “win-win” however that’s not essentially how it’s considered by each a part of the Scottish fishing business.

The sharply contrasting reactions of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation – which has accused the UK authorities of “capitulation” – and Salmon Scotland, which has welcomed an settlement it believes will “slash red tape”, underlines the truth that any deal includes trade-offs.

The UK authorities is making an attempt to offset the frustration of some within the fishing business with a £360m fund for coastal communities.

There are points of nearer cooperation between the UK and EU that the Scottish authorities is joyful to welcome.

However, there was by no means going to be a package deal that will fulfill SNP ministers, as they favour a return to the EU.

They argue the easiest way for that to be achieved is thru Scottish independence. But that debate has misplaced a lot of its earlier vitality.

An earlier “reset” in relations between the UK and devolved governments has improved how they work collectively.

But Scottish ministers argue that they need to have been consulted on immediately’s deal, regardless of international affairs being a matter reserved to Westminster.