Due to the coronavirus lockdown UK fishing ports across the UK are on the brink of collapse as restaurants are closed and demand has plummeted.
Fresh fish counters in supermarkets are closed and fish and chip shops will be affected and are worried over their future.
There are concerns over the UK and EU trading relationship as trawlers have seen a huge fall in demand for fish since the lockdown was introduced, and European markets are drying up.
Almost all of sea snail that is caught is sold to China, but due to the lockdown it is going nowhere, whilst Celia Mackenzie, chief executive of Whitehaven Harbour, said their boats have landed more whelk than they can store.
Speaking to the Telegraph Mackenzie said, “There is also no pressure on the fishing sector to pass on their grant income if they don’t go out to sea.
“The port sector, not the people in the vessels have been overlooked. I don’t know how we’re going to survive.”
Ports normally paid around 2% of the overall catch landed, but they can now no longer rely on this, as there is less money for the ports to run.
Martyn Boyers, chief executive of Grimsby Fish Dock, said the association have received no money for five weeks from the fishing market,
Boyers said, “some ports could go bust in four to six weeks.”
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “This government remains absolutely dedicated to unite and level up our country.
“We have lost none of our resolve.
“We are going to deliver every single one of the things that we said we would do in the general election campaign.
“We are not going to be blown off course by this.”
Leave a Comment