A number of Western Isles trawlers face being left without crew when Filipino fishermen have to leave the UK next month.
The Coalition Government is ending the concessionary scheme which allows fishermen outwith the European Union to work on Scottish west coast boats.
It will particularly affect vessels in the Stornoway and Barra trawl fleet which started employing fishermen from the Philippines after difficulties in obtaining local crew. They are considered to be good hard workers and without them some vessels may not get to sea.
MP Angus MacNeil advocates a six month extension to put a new scheme in place and for the Scottish Government to organise training programmes to get them the certificates immigration rules say they need.
He says their absence will have a “horrendous impact on the local fishing fleet, with many in danger of having to tie up their boats if the UK Government implement these proposals.”
Mr MacNeil added: “Fishermen from the Philippines are an integral part of our fishing community, providing our boats with competent crew and ensuring that our fish processors stay open.
“The UKBA and UK Immigration Minister Damien Green must remember that we in the Western Isles do not have an immigration problem. Conversely, we have an emigration problem. We need people here to help our local economy and that is what these fishermen are doing.”
Island trawlers face crewing shortage 1/8/11