Furious Scots fishing chief demands PM explains 'horror show' trade deal
A furious Scots fishing chief has urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to explain why he thinks the UK-EU trade deal is good for the industry.
The recent deal means EU fishing vessels can keep their current level of access to key UK fishing grounds for a further 12 years.
It removed at a stroke a key bargaining chip in annual negotiations over fishing quotas.
Industry responses to the deal ranged from 'horror show' to 'betrayal'.
The UK Government said the agreement could boost exports of Scottish salmon.
And it tried to sweeten the blow with a £360 million fishing and coastal growth fund.
But industry figures suggest this will be more than eclipsed by the loss of £6 billion-worth of fish to the EU over the next 12 years.
According to the Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF), the PM now owes an explanation to fishers he 'insulted and patronised' by saying the deal is good for them.
In a letter to Sir Keir, SFF chief executive Elspeth Macdonald said: 'It was both insulting and patronising to hear you and your ministers tell us this was a good deal for fishing.
'If your government had bothered to understand anything about the fishing industry, you would know farmed salmon and wild capture fisheries are completely separate industries.
'You also told us, again patronisingly, that we should welcome the stability of a 12-year agreement on access. That you know what's best for us. Yet we have spent months telling your ministers that stability in terms of access to waters is the worst possible position for the UK.'
SFF's CEO added: 'It was the instability of the EU's access to UK waters from 2026 that was our trump card. You have not only thrown it away but ripped it up into tiny pieces before doing so.
'Your reaction also showed a lack of understanding of the 2020 (Brexit) agreement and how international fisheries agreements work, as well as a misplaced lack of faith – that we don't share – in your negotiating teams to deliver better quota shares for the UK through annual negotiations.'
On the coastal and growth fund, Ms Macdonald pointed out that Sir Keir's mandate only runs until 2029.
She added: 'As no future government is obliged to meet commitments made by a previous one, you can in essence only commit to three years of funding – some £90m
'Contrast this to the £450-500m value of the fish the EU will take from our waters for the next 12 years – £6bn, not accounting for inflation or value added – and what little sugar coating you felt there might be in your funding package to sweeten the very bitter pill swiftly vanishes.'
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