Support for seafood exporters

Additional advisers will be appointed to help provide seafood businesses with support on new paperwork and processes following the end of the EU Exit Transition Period.

Two new Full Time Equivalent (FTE) roles will be created at trade and marketing body Seafood Scotland to help companies better understand the new business practices to export to the EU and Northern Ireland, including the customs and export certification processes.

This new support will be funded through the Scottish Government and Scotland Food and Drink’s joint Recovery Plan.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said:

“The seafood sector has been devastated by this poor Brexit deal and we cannot wait for the UK Government to solve the administrative problems they have created.

“Our focus is on resolving the issues around exports and making sure the process runs as smoothly as possible which is why as an immediate priority, we are funding these new posts to provide in-depth expert support to exporters across Scotland and help them navigate the new and onerous processes.

“We continue to back calls from our food and drink businesses for a six-month ‘grace period’ to allow exporters more time to digest the outcome of negotiations on a trade deal and prepare as best as they can.”

Donna Fordyce, Chief Executive at Seafood Scotland, said:

“This milestone investment comes at a crucial time for the Scottish seafood industry. With its resilience already weakened by a year of COVID-19 restrictions, followed by the French border closure over Christmas, the Brexit issues couldn’t have come at a worse time.

“By appointing our own elite team of exporting experts, we will be able to provide companies of all sizes throughout the country with one to one support, to help guide them through the raft of administrative changes Brexit has brought as we strive to return to a position where product is flowing freely to our valued European customers.

“There’s a lot of work to do but this is a really positive step forward in resolving the issues still lingering post-Brexit and we look forward to the new team being put into position imminently.”

Background

Please email inquiries@seafoodscotland.org for information on how to get in touch with the Brexit advisers.

The advisers will be in post this week.