LEVIES paid by Scottish fishermen are being used by a UK Government quango to promote Norwegian fish.
The “bewildering” situation has prompted the Scottish Government to renew their calls to devolve food levies to Scotland.
Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead yesterday wrote to UK Government Secretary of State Liz Truss calling for urgent clarity on whether the devolution of food levies will be in the Scotland Bill. Lochhead says that the National Fish & Chip Awards, organised by public body Seafish, where the top prize was scooped by a Shetland-based chip shop, has been used to promote frozen Norwegian white fish into the UK market.
This has happened, the minister says, despite improving North Sea stocks of white fish.
Last week, Seafish tweeted linked to a recipe: “There’s nothing like a warming, lightly spiced tagine – try this Norwegian cod & prawn tagine.”
Lochhead said he had been “concerned for some time” that the system which sees producers and fishermen pay levies on produce doesn’t “always work in the best interests of the Scottish industry”. Levies are paid by fishermen and boat owners on all purchases of sea fish, shellfish, and sea-fish products. The money then heads to Seafish, who then pass a proportion on to Seafood Scotland.
Lochhead said he understood, why the quango had taken the sponsorship from the Norwegians: “The UK Sea Fish Industry Authority organises the UK fish and chip shop awards, which was deservedly won in 2015 by Frankie’s Fish & Chips in Shetland.
However, the event is used by the Norwegian Seafood Council to promote frozen Norwegian fish into the UK market.
“I can understand why Seafish may feel obliged to do this, given the importance for the UK levy take of the large frozen fish levy-payers. But at a time when key white fish stocks in the North Sea, and quota for Scottish fishermen, are both rising, many in Scotland are bewildered and frustrated that the opportunity isn’t taken to promote local, fresh Scottish-caught fish.
This shows why we need the UK Government to commit to devolving powers over food levies to the Scottish Government.”
David Leiper, chairman of Scottish Seafood Association said: “The Scottish Seafood Association very much supports the Scottish Government’s position.”
Cross party support came from Jimmy Buchan, skipper of Amity II, who featured in BBC’s Trawlermen and was a Conservative candidate in 2010. Buchan said: “Funds generated from the sale of fish caught and landed in Scotland should be reinvested here.”
A Defra spokesperson said: “With quotas now rising thanks to improving fish stocks, the UK and Scotland Governments have been working closely together to give Scotland a greater say over how food levies are spent.”
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