Aid package announced for UK’s fish exporters
£23m pledged by Defra to help UK businesses affected by new export requirements.
By Marc Allen, Maritime Direct UK.
The UK’s Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has confirmed that it is launching a £23m compensation package for British fish and shellfish exporters that can prove they have suffered “genuine loss” due to Brexit red tape and the disruption to exports it has caused.
Earlier this week, Westminster was besieged by seafood hauliers protesting their loss of earnings due to the export fracas, prompting Boris Johnson to address the problem. Export companies have blamed a bureaucratic mountain of new checks and paperwork for the stifled exports, and many now fear for the industry’s future.
Environment Secretary, George Eustice said: “This £23 million scheme will provide crucial support for fishermen and seafood exporters, who have experienced delays and a lack of demand for fish from the restaurant industry in the UK and Europe.”
