Boris Johnson’s appointment as the new prime minister of the United Kingdom is cause for concern for Norway’s seafood exporters, the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) has warned.
Recognizing that Johnson championed the United Kingdom’s departure from the E.U. in the 2016 vote, Hans Frode Kielland Asmyhr, NSC’s director in the United Kingdom, believes the likelihood of a tough Brexit on 31 October “is very large,” and also that a hard Brexit would be “the worst possible alternative for Norwegian seafood exports to the U.K.”
"Since Norway has a transitional agreement with the U.K., direct exports of seafood will be less affected, but I am very concerned about the indirect exports that go through the E.U. countries,” Asmyhr said.
The United Kingdom is Norway's fourth-largest export market for seafood. In 2018, the Scandinavian country exported around 200,000 metric tons (MT) of seafood worth NOK 6.2 billion (USD 712.2 million, EUR 639.7 million) to the U.K. market. Of this, 60,000 MT was exported indirectly via so-called “transit countries” which process the products.
“It is highly uncertain what will happen to the trade between the E.U. and the U.K. by a hard Brexit, and it creates nervousness in the seafood industry,” Asmyhr said.
Paul Harald Leinebø, of fishing boat owner and exporter Leinebris/PHL Seagold, is among those concerned.
“Norwegian exporters and fishermen are following developments in the U.K., which is one of our most important markets. If there are challenges with the market access for Norwegian seafood to this market, we will be in a demanding situation,” he said.
Asmyhr was short on advice for Norwegian firms with an export presence in the U.K.
“The best advice I can give Norwegian seafood exporters right now is to keep a close dialogue with their British customers,” Asmyhr said.
