THE Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) has written to the Prime Minister outlining in detail how his Brexit deal has broken promises to their industry and forced Scots fisheries to accept the “worst of both worlds”.

In the letter, the SFF tells Boris Johnson how “there is huge disappointment and a great deal of anger about your failure to deliver on promises made repeatedly to this industry”.

Penned by Elspeth Macdonald, the chief executive of the SFF, the letter details the shortcomings of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU and how “many in our industry now fear for their future”.

Addressing Johnson, Macdonald writes: “You and your Government have spun a line about a 25% uplift in quota for the UK, but you know this is not true, and your deal does not deliver that.”

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The chief executive says there is “major concern” around many key whitefish species, adding: “Your deal actually leaves the Scottish industry in a worse position on more than half of the key stocks and now facing acute problems with North Sea cod and saithe in particular.”

She claims that troubles with Brexit red tape mean that many boats are now sitting tied to the quay, while others make 72-hour round trips to Denmark to land fish so that they can ensure a fair price and freshness.

Macdonald goes on: “This, on top of the desperately poor deal on fisheries in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, is not what you promised the fishing industry.

“In your letter to me of July 6, you said: ‘We are simply not prepared to agree to an arrangement that is manifestly unbalanced and against the interests of the UK fishing industry.’ Yet that is what has been agreed.

“You also said: ‘We are committed to ensuring there are annual negotiations for access to, and sharing of, fishing opportunities, based on the principle of zonal attachment.’ Yet we find ourselves with an outcome where the EU fleet will continue to have full and unfettered access to UK waters until the middle of 2026, and should the UK want to change these arrangements at that point, the EU can impose a suite of punitive sanctions on the UK.

“No other coastal state in the world is in this position.”

Macdonald uses North Sea Herring as an example, saying that under the zonal attachment principle the UK would have around 90% of the total share. However, Johnson’s Brexit deal moves the UK share from 24.5% to 32.2% over five years. “This can hardly be claimed as a resounding success,” she adds.

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Saying that her industry now “finds itself in the worst of both worlds”, Macdonald demands that the fishing businesses affected by the negative repercussions of the deal be compensated for their losses.

She writes: “We expect to see the details of this compensation scheme as a matter of urgency, and of course this must be new money, and not taken from the £100 million that you have already announced for investment and innovation.”

Although Johnson promised compensation in a liaison committee meeting, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, George Eustice, dodged the question repeatedly when MPs asked for further details of the scheme.

The SFF is an umbrella body which represents eight other fishing associations, including the Anglo-Scottish Fishermen’s Association, the Scottish White Fish Producers’ Association, and the Fishing Vessel Agents & Owners Association (Scotland).

A Downing Street spokesperson said the Prime Minister would respond to the letter "in due course".

The spokesperson went on: "We have now taken back control of our waters and the agreement we have reached with the EU secures a 25% transfer of quota from EU to UK vessels over five years, starting with 15% this year. This will bring immediate gains to our fishermen and women across the whole UK.

“Throughout the adjustment period, we will invest in our fishing communities and do everything we can to help to rebuild the industry. The Prime Minister has already committed to investing £100 million in the UK’s fishing industry and provided the Scottish Government with nearly £200 million to minimise disruption for businesses.

“As the PM said this week, we recognise the Scottish fishing industry is facing some temporary issues following the end of the Transition Period, and we are looking at the additional financial support we can provide to those businesses affected.”

You can read the SFF letter in full here.