At
least 20 lorries from British fishing companies have demonstrated in the heart of London against the slowing red tape they face now that Brexit has finally been completed.
The vehicles were set up in streets around Prime Minister Johnson‘s office residence on Downing Street and at the parliament building.
Exporters of crustaceans are particularly affected. The animals often go alive in the truck. The longer they are on the road, the less they are paid for. Exporters see their companies destroyed by the Brexit bureaucracy. On their trucks, the fishermen had written slogans criticizing Johnson’s government.
Officers spoke to the truck drivers:
Many UK fishermen have struggled to export their catch to Europe since the final conclusion of Brexit with the UK and EU trade deal.
Due to increased bureaucracy including catch certificates and additional quality and customs controls, deliveries have been delayed considerably. As a result, European buyers refuse to catch or pay significantly less.
400 pages of documents
Gary Hodgson, director of fishing company Venture Seafoods, tells Reuters that his industry is seriously taking into account โthe system might collapseโ.
Due to the red tape, he had to cancel deliveries to the EU several times since December. Last week, an operator needed 400 pages of documents to board a ferry to Europe, says Hodgson.
Fishermen are calling for a more โworkableโ system. Hodgson: ‘Prime Minister Johnson must be honest with us, himself and the British people about the problems facing industry. ‘