Scottish fishing industry representatives are meeting Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill today to discuss crew shortages off the west coast amid growing fears about a tightening-up of the rules for migrant workers.
It follows an earlier meeting involving Mr Goodwill, on November 4, when Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil teamed up with Argyll and Bute MP Brendan O’Hara and Margaret Ritchie, Social Democratic and Labour Party MP for South Down in Northern Ireland to highlight the concerns.
At that meeting, Mr Goodwill agreed to meet fishing industry leaders before the end of the year.
Mr MacNeil was previously told more than 60 additional skilled crew were needed to allow the Western Isles’ fleet to work to full capacity.
The growing crisis has already led to boats having to be tied up in port due to crew shortages.
Yesterday, Mr MacNeil said: “I am pleased that the immigration minister … has kept to his word.
“The west coast is in need of fishing crews and the UK Government, rather than blocking the economy, must help.
“This is a huge test of understanding for the UK Government as everybody … can see the sense in this.”
He added: “The fishing industry is suffering because of lack of crew.
“This meeting will allow it to make a direct plea to the immigration minister, and I hope that a solution can be found.”
Scottish Government figures suggest that as many as one in five fishers in Scotland are from four countries outside the European Economic Area – the Philippines, Ghana, Sri Lanka and Belarus.