Fishing industry on the agenda at Westminster

Speaking from London, Carla Lockhart said: “Our fishing industry is resilient, and despite the array of challenges it has faced over recent years at the hands of the EU, it has emerged confident and looking forward to the opportunities that come from being outside the European Union. Key to maximising these opportunities is to have the required workforce available within the industry.

"Currently there are record levels of vacancies across the fishing industry. Over recent years fishing has become reliant on recruiting skilled labour from overseas, and whilst the Government has made sensible and proportionate steps to address labour shortages in other sectors, as yet our fisheries industry remain in need of a solution on the issues facing migrant crew.

“We need the Government to engage constructively with the sector to find suitable solutions. For every migrant labourer on a boat, it supports up to a dozen jobs on shore. We cannot lose sight of this. That is why Alan and I have spent today in Westminster in a series of engagements, raising this issue and emphasising the importance of finding a sensible way forward. “We hope the Government listen, and will certainly be continuing our representations on this issue in the weeks ahead.”