Scotland’s fishing and processing communities urgently need the protection and commitment of U.K. government policies, according to the Scottish Seafood Association (SSA).
“Food security is paramount for the nation, and to achieve this, a fair and balanced strategy is required – one that prioritizes sustainable practices and the well-being of coastal communities,” the trade group said in a recent statement.
Representing more than 70 seafood-processing and ancillary businesses in Scotland, the SSA’s calls for government backing echo a similar declaration from the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation for U.K. policymakers to support the fishing industry and the supply chain amid growing concerns over the expansion of offshore wind, a lack of industry compensation, burdensome taxes, and shifting relationships with the European Union.
The latter issue particularly worries SSA CEO Jimmy Buchan, who told SeafoodSource there are signals that the U.K. government may give in to E.U. demands for greater quotas and fishing ground access to the detriment of the U.K. seafood industry.
“It is widely known that the E.U. would favor more access to U.K. waters and quotas. Negotiations are due in 2026 as per [the] Brexit agreement, and the SSA cannot afford to see access to waters and quota lost to E.U. vessels, with Scottish seafood processors [losing] out,” Buchan said. “Brexit was, and still is, difficult, but we must look to the long game of ensuring that the fish that swim in and around our coastal waters is fairly distributed as per the agreed Brexit deal. The E.U. have not made the existing deal easy for exporters while continuing to enjoy a free and frictionless border with goods coming into the U.K.”
There is room for improved trade between the U.K. and the E.U., but this cannot come at the expense of fishing communities, Buchan said.
“Without fish landings, our own coastal communities would suffer, and with food security, not to mention valuable natural protein that can keep a healthy nation, we must remain hopeful but steadfast,” he said.
For Scotland in particular, Buchan said that processors heavily rely on raw materials from the U.K. fleet, meaning that the E.U. gaining greater quotas would have more dire consequences for Scotland. The English processing sector, he explained, relies more on raw material imports from Norway, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands.
“Therefore, [the] source of raw material is critical to Scotland, and that can only come from our fleet with whom the ability to harvest and land fish and shellfish lies. The Scottish government is somewhat conflicted: On one hand, [collaborating with the] E.U. risks having to concede access to our waters but gains some other concession in return, and on the other, it can support the seafood supply chain and ensure that our seas are protected for our nation, our food security, our heritage, and natural right,” he said. “Our seafood supply chain – both at sea and onshore – should not be traded away under any circumstances. We have a duty as a nation to ensure long-term sustainability just as we have with oil, gas, and renewable energy. It is a natural asset that will ensure prosperity for our nation for generations to come providing we ensure that the asset is protected.”
As for the tax issue, the U.K. government has announced an intention to increase citizen insurance contributions and make changes to its inheritance tax policy, which has raised serious concerns within the processing industry.
In November 2024, a joint statement from the SSA and the Scottish Pelagic Processors’ Association said these changes threaten to undermine the government’s rhetoric about fostering economic growth across business communities and may have unintended consequences for businesses that are struggling to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and recent high energy costs.
In particular, they warned the insurance changes would place an “undue financial burden” on employers, which could lead to difficult decisions regarding future staffing and investment, while the inheritance tax alterations, although primarily focused on agriculture businesses, may inadvertently limit the capital available for seafood companies, too.
“The recent inheritance tax is a serious problem and affects business owners like it will the farming community,” Buchan said. “However, the government is not appearing to show any compassion on that front, neither are they interested in the business community across the U.K. on the national insurance increases, which again will cost some of the larger employers hundreds of thousands of pounds annually.”
