North-east MP warns against fishing rights trade-off with EU
The UK government has been urged to avoid any moves to link fishing with energy in trade negotiations with the EU.
The call comes from Aberdeenshire North and Moray East SNP MP Seamus Logan who voiced fears that the European Union will use the new Labour government’s desire to renegotiate the UK’s trade deal as leverage to secure greater access for EU fishing fleets to UK waters in the pre-2026 negotiations.
Speaking during a debate in Westminster Hall on the Future of Fishing post-2026, Mr Logan said: “The constituency that I represent, Aberdeenshire North and Moray East, hosts two of the largest fishing ports in the UK at Peterhead and Fraserburgh, with Aberdeenshire noted for the highest fishing GVA at £153 million in 2021, the latest year in which figures are available.
“That’s equivalent of 48 per cent of the entire Scottish fishing GVA. The corresponding UK GVA figure is 0.03 per cent of the UK economy, the Scottish figure is 0.21 per cent, that is seven times that figure, it’s important to bear that in mind. £321 million is the value to the Scottish economy, it employs 4241 people, again based on the 2021 figures.
“Now fishing is part of the DNA of our coastal communities. The sea of disappointment that these communities have faced from the previous government’s broken Brexit promises has cost them dearly, leaving the UK in a far weaker position to negotiate on fishing rights than when we still had a seat at the table in the European Union.
“These fishing communities are facing huge economic challenges due to the loss of freedom of movement, principally fish processors and perhaps to a lesser extent the catching sector are facing labour shortages alongside new trade barriers erected by a Tory Brexit deal that was supported by Labour at the time. Trade barriers are estimated at 30 per cent in increase in transport costs and a 50 per cent increase in packaging costs. It is feared that the European Union will use the new Labour government’s desire to renegotiate the UK’s trade deal with the EU as leverage to secure greater access for EU fishing fleets to UK waters in the pre-2026 negotiations.
“Now, with the new Labour government promising a ‘reset’ ahead of the TCA negotiations in 2026, there are serious concerns that the coupling of fishing negotiations with those on energy might be a problem. The potential linkage between energy and fishing in whatever deal is agreed could result in fishing communities in the north-east suffering a far worse deal after 2026. If this happens, the blame will lay squarely with the Westminster government, but it is the Scottish fishing communities that will pay the price.”
Concluding, he added: “The Minister, and I agree with my colleague that he is doing an excellent job, needs to reassure these communities in my constituency and indeed across Scotland and these islands, that the UK government will liaise with the Scottish Government and the Scottish Fisheries Groups to ensure that the best possible deal can be renegotiated when the TCA expires and that access to our waters will not become a casualty of any new trade deals.”
