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Lower shellfish supplies for processing factories is the consequence of a lack of skilled fishing boat crews.

Three Barra fishing boats have been forced to tie up after finding it impossible to source crews.

 

Younger people in the Western Isles are no longer attracted to the fishing industry.

 

The issue is common across Scotland with many skippers looking to outside the European Economic Area (EEA) to fill the gaps in labour.

 

But UK Immigration often present difficulties in recruiting skilled fishermen from abroad.

 

Two new crew members travelling to join a BarrAtlantic vessel hit a stumbling block when they were declined entry to the UK.

 

The knock-on effect means onshore fish processing factories do not receive sufficient supplies to keep their workforce busy.

 

MP Angus MacNeil wants the UK Government to reintroduce a scheme for skippers facing crew shortages to be allowed to recruit workers from outside the EEA.

 

Mr MacNeil said: “Many skippers in the Western Isles and all along the west coast, particularly in the prawn and white fish sectors, have had to tie up boats as they cannot crew them.

 

He added: “A solution to this issue was identified – the reintroduction of a scheme for sourcing temporary labour from out with the EEC, as is being introduced in the Republic of Ireland.

 

“The UK Government keeps saying this is not their problem and it is an industry issue to recruit, however this attitude does nothing to attract new entrants.

 

"After Brexit there was a lot of talk of taking control but fishermen are finding that they have no control and this is a problem with the UK Government.”

 

Mr MacNeil has written to Minister of State for Immigration, Robert Goodwill MP, on the matter.

 

Fishing boats tied up due to lack of crews

24 September 2016