UK govt urged to cut salmon exports red tape

Chief executive, Tavish Scott, made the comments following the Norway-UK seafood summit held in London on 27 February, as fisheries minister Mark Spencer hailed similar measures already in place in Norway.

“We’ve been saying since Brexit that we need electronic systems to reduce the red tape for salmon farmers,” said Scott.

“So given this now happens for seafood imports from third countries like Norway, as highlighted by the fisheries minister, we’re surprised that this still hasn’t been sorted for exporters to the EU.

“International demand for Scottish salmon continues to increase, and it’s vital for economic growth here at home that we remove barriers for key exporters like salmon farmers.”

Salmon producers are willing to work with the UK government to put in place any measures that make it easier to export their product to Europe, says Salmon Scotland, and have already piloted a successful electronic export health certification system which shows what can be achieved.

The trade body has previously estimated that post-Brexit paperwork costs salmon farming companies in Scotland an extra £3 million a year since the UK formally left the EU on 31 January, 2020.

The export market alone drives annual salmon sales of nearly £600 million each year. Last year export values of Scottish salmon increased by 0.5% to £581 million – equivalent to £1.6 million every day.