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

Some sections of Scotland’s fishing trade 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 present entry for EU boats in alternate for lowered 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 “nice betrayal of our fishing fleet”.

However fish farming physique Salmon Scotland welcomed the deal as a “slashing of crimson tape” which is able to permit 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 could “tear down” boundaries to commerce and finish the “needlessly troublesome” means 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 offered once more in Europe.

“This settlement is not about revisiting the stale outdated debates of the previous,” he mentioned.

“It is time now for Britain to look forwards and outwards as a proud, sovereign nation on the world stage – to get the perfect deal for the folks of Scotland and Britain. “

The brand 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 a part of the injury that Brexit continues to inflict”.

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

“Given the significance of fishing to Scotland additionally it is astonishing that the Scottish authorities was giving no warning of this nice betrayal of our fishing fleet,” she mentioned.

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

She informed BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “This isn’t a roll over, it is a complete capitulation to the EU and a disastrous final result 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.

“However in doing so the UK loses all its negotiating capital and all its leverage, so the EU continues to take a far larger share of the sources in our waters than they’re entitled to.

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

Whereas the deal has been criticised, it has additionally been welcomed in different components of Scotland’s fishing and meals manufacturing industries.

Tavish Scott, chief government of Salmon Scotland, mentioned the brand new settlement would assist lower the time taken to get merchandise into the EU market.

The physique mentioned worldwide gross sales of salmon from Scotland hit a document £844m in 2024, with France, the place Scottish salmon is given the “Label Rouge” high quality mark, the most important market at £462m.

Mr Scott mentioned the deal might open up new alternatives for Scottish producers in Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, the place demand is rising regardless of robust competitors from Norway and Chile.

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

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

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

Underneath these guidelines, fishermen have been beforehand not allowed to move the animals to the EU except they’d already been handled in purification vegetation.

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

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

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

“However right here we have now an enormous fleet coming into UK waters and the UK fishing trade will get nothing out of it.”

Scottish Conservative MP for Gordon and Buchan, Harriet Cross, described the deal as a “give up” and “one of many largest acts of betrayal that our fishing trade has seen in Scotland.”

She mentioned: “Our fishermen have been used as a pawn by Keir Starmer, which is able to end in catastrophic penalties 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 might go in the direction of new expertise 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 trade.

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 crimson tape”, underlines the truth that any deal entails trade-offs.

The UK authorities is attempting to offset the frustration of some within the fishing trade with a £360m fund for coastal communities.

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

Nonetheless, there was by no means going to be a bundle that might 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. However that debate has misplaced a lot of its earlier power.

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

However Scottish ministers argue that they need to have been consulted on right this moment’s deal, regardless of overseas affairs being a matter reserved to Westminster.