It’s not just the UK’s fishing industry all at sea over the government’s stormy negotiations with the EU.
Leaders from the Falkland Islands' seafood industry have also voiced concerns about the impact a no-deal outcome could have, particularly substantial new tariffs.
‘Severe blow’
Almost 90% of the industry’s catch is exported to the EU representing 40% of the islands’ GDP, reports Penguin News.
The Falkland Islands Fishing Companies Association (FIFCA) said that the potential impact of no-deal or a thin agreement “will result in a severe blow to the Falklands eafood sector and to the economy generally”.
Falklands interests
FIFCA executive secretary James Bates said that the UK negotiating team and senior UK politicians were not pressing the interests of the Falkland Islands hard enough.
He told Merco Press: “We therefore urge our government to redouble their efforts to persuade the UK government that an intervention at the highest level on our behalf is essential”.
Shetland fears
In the Northern Hemisphere, Shetland sheep farmers are also anticipating Brexit woes, according to the Shetland Times.
Farmers fear the “catastrophic” impact that tariffs of up to 50% would have on lamb exports in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
Chairwoman of the Scottish Crofting Federation, Eleanor Arthur, said such tariffs would make sheep farming “unviable for most of us”.
Support mechanisms
It comes after a meeting organised by Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael involving government officials and key figures from the agriculture industry.
Arthur said details were still sketchy on the budgets and timing of support mechanisms promised by government to support businesses which will be most affected by the changes to trade rules with the EU from 1 January 2021.
“The ministers at the meeting representing the UK government just don’t seem to get it,” he said