Scottish fishing chiefs insist the UK’s move to quit the European Union will not shut the door on seafood exports worth more than £400million annually.
The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) said yesterday the Brexit vote presented a challenge but also an opportunity to develop new markets.
The comments coincided with a warning from the SNP that withdrawal from the EU threatens the future of Scotland’s seafood sector, which accounts for more than 60% of the country’s food exports to the bloc.
EU membership benefits to the industry included hundreds of millions of pounds in trade and investment, plus £107million in European Maritime and Fisheries Fund support through to 2023, the party said.
It cited figures showing Scotland exported £438million-worth of fish and seafood to EU countries in 2015, while also highlighting £77million of EU investment which had created or safeguarded 2,000 jobs in the industry since 2007.
SNP MSP Emma Harper said: “Scotland’s food and drink industries are a prime example of the benefits of trading without barriers across Europe – and seafood is by far our largest food export.
“Without tariff-free access to trade with the EU, rural Scotland would risk losing vital trade that sustains thousands of jobs as well as the EU investment that supports our seafood and agricultural industries.”
SFF chief executive Bertie Armstrong said: “We should not imagine that Brexit will simply slam the EU markets shut – trade is a two way thing.
“We will continue to produce world-class products and people will continue to want them. The freedom to engage in the future with markets which really are shut off by the restraints of our EU membership should also be viewed in the balance.”
Mr Armstrong added: “There is much in Brexit that will be a real challenge, including reworking markets, but we must focus now on the opportunities.
“For the fishing industry of Scotland, these are overwhelmingly positive. The restoration of our stewardship, under international law, of the best fishing grounds in the world – our exclusive economic zone – brings the potential to be a world-leading force in sustainable harvesting and marketing of seafood.
“Anxiety is understood, but it must not cause us to lower our heads and lose sight of the grand prize.”