Covid-19: Tonnes of Scottish seafood exports 'stuck at Dover'

Tonnes of Scottish seafood worth millions of pounds and destined for continental European markets are "stuck at Dover".

A growing number of countries have banned arrivals from the UK because of concerns at the spread of a new variant of coronavirus.

France has shut its border with the UK for 48 hours, meaning no lorries or ferries can leave the port of Dover.

The Scottish seafood industry has called for an urgent resolution.

Salmon and shellfish are among the produce involved, and for many Scottish fishermen Christmas is their busiest time of the year.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said ministers were pressing the UK government to "find an urgent solution and get the Channel ports open again".

Speaking after a meeting of the Scottish government emergency resilience committee, she said they have also raised the question of financial support for those affected.

Scottish Seafood Association (SSA) chief executive Jimmy Buchan said the seafood industry had already been suffering due to the Covid pandemic and was now facing "disaster".

The association has called on government to compensate its members who lose income due to the border closure.

Mr Buchan said: "These few days in the run up to Christmas are hugely busy for a lot of our members, with seafood destined for all parts of the continent going via France.

"Traditionally in Spain seafood is a major part of Christmas Eve, and most of our exports get there via the Eurotunnel or Dover-Calais routes, so it is a disaster for our members."

He added: "For example, one relatively small company has £230,000 worth of live shellfish stuck at the border, with a further £250,000 worth ready to go.

"Another bigger outfit has £500,000 worth at Dover, and an additional £750,000 ready for despatch, all of which are just-in-time exports for the Christmas market."

The Scottish Salmon Producers' Organisation (SSPO) said 150 tonnes of farmed salmon, worth £1.1m, was daily exported across the Channel.

The salmon farming industry faces a potential loss of £6.5m this week, with up to 100 lorries of salmon affected by the border closure.

SSPO chief executive Tavish Scott said: "We are deeply concerned by this extremely disruptive suspension of trade routes to France.

"Europe is a key market for Scottish salmon and we expect the government to explore all practical options for resuming trade, including the Covid-19 testing of drivers."

The Scottish Creel Fishermen's Federation (SCFF) got the last of its festive season deliveries of live shellfish to the continent at the weekend for onward distribution to traders.

The four articulated lorries of shellfish, including lobster, langoustine and brown crab, are worth a potential total of £600,000.

James Cook, the SCFF's Eyemouth-based treasurer, said the federation had been luckier than others in managing to get its product across the Channel before the border closure.

The SCFF has its own transport and its trailers were put on ferries at Dover and then taken the rest of the way by lorry drivers it had in France.

Mr Cook said: "The team has done a miraculous job."

But he added some creel fishing had been suspended until hoped for confirmation of relaxed border restrictions.

Ms Sturgeon said the Scotland was "well stocked with food and medical supplies" and the government would monitor the position closely.

"What absolutely is an immediate concern is the impact on exporters, not least of perishable goods such as seafood," she added.

"This is their most critical time of year and right now, their products are trapped miles from their markets. That has to be urgently resolved.

"We have raised the question of financial support for those hit by this action with the UK. We stand ready to help in any practical way we can as this situation develops and will keep all actions under active review."

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