The UK government’s sell-out of Scottish fisheries has been laid bare by industry experts who predict that the UK industry will make an eye-watering loss of £300million by 2026 as a result of the UK government’s disastrous Brexit deal.
This is despite Boris Johnson promising Scotland’s fishermen they would benefit from Brexit to the tune of £148m by 2026.
Gary Taylor, a former DEFRA official and fisheries negotiator has estimated that fishing firms are facing losses of £64m a year.
The grave predictions have prompted the National Federation of Fisherman’s Organisations (NFFO) to request that the UK Tory government urgently publish an analysis of the cost of their disastrous Brexit.
CEO of the NFFO Barry Deas has said that there are ‘very few winners and a great many losers’ in the fishing industry as a result of Brexit.
Commenting, SNP MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast Karen Adam (pictured) said:
“This expert analysis shows that Scotland’s fishing industry is staring down the barrel of millions of pounds of losses due to the rank rotten deal the UK government negotiated.
“Our fishing sector is world-renowned but it is under serious threat from Boris Johnson and the Tories who have sold it out to deliver their Brexit obsession.
“Boris Johnson lied to Scotland’s fishing communities about the benefits of his Brexit deal, but his promised sea of opportunity is now a perfect storm of export catastrophes, quota limitations and severe financial loss.
“The harm is not just for these fishing businesses, but is being felt throughout coastal communities putting jobs, livelihoods and businesses at risk.
“We cannot trust the Tories to protect Scotland’s world-renowned fishing industry.
“The only way we can protect it is by becoming an independent country.”
