New Fisheries Minister Robert Goodwill has used a visit to Grimsby to encourage European workers to continue to come and work in the sector, while flagging up the 鈥済reat opportunities鈥 to those at home.
Easing fears over supply as he underlined the tariff-free deals with key partners Iceland, Norway and The Faroes, he also told highlighted the aptly named Leave to Remain system being brought in, sending a clear message to the one-in-three EU economic migrant make-up of the seafood industry.
On the processing floor at Flatfish, where a multi-million pound expansion in training and manufacturing capacity was being unveiled, Mr Goodwill said: 鈥淚n terms of the indigenous population, there is a good future in fish processing here in Grimsby, where you can start at the shop floor and work up. There are great opportunities here in fish processing. There are jobs available, with great training and great facilities.
鈥淚n terms of EU workers fish processing and farming, we will still have access to the EU, whatever the Brexit situation. Under a no deal situation they can work for three months and apply for leave to remain for another three years. The message we want to send out to EU workers already here, is to encourage friends to come, there will still be great opportunities here in fish processing and food processing and agriculture. Whatever the situation it will still be possible.鈥
The application has to be made in the first three months of being in the 海角视频, and is designed to fill the gap with any end to free movement ahead of the proposed new skills-based immigration system, anticipated in 2021
The EU settlement scheme for those who arrived before Britain leaves was also flagged up by Mr Goodwill, who replaced George Eustice following his resignation over the Brexit delay back in February.
Mr Goodwill was shown the facility, where North Sea hake was being filleted for retail and foodservice, while whole plaice were packaged for supermarket wet fish counters.
鈥淢ost people in the country don鈥檛 realise what Grimsby does know, and that is that we export most of the fish we catch and import most we process,鈥 Mr Goodwill said. 鈥淢ost of the fish has been caught by Iceland, The Faroes and Norway and the good news is we will not have tariffs on imports from those countries if it comes to a no deal. I hope very much to have a deal.
鈥淭he challenge will be continuing to export species we catch into the European market.鈥
He started the day on Grimsby Fish Market before taking in Alfred Enderby鈥檚 smokehouse, with a meeting at Young鈥檚 Seafood before lunch at Papa鈥檚 on Cleethorpes Pier.
Of the surroundings, the North Yorkshire Conservative said: 鈥淚t is state of the art, they have got a level of equipment that can fillet fish automatically, and also, very highly skilled staff, and I鈥檝e seen how difficult it is to fillet a monkfish 鈥 these people make it look easy.
鈥淭hey have really well trained staff, committed staff and investment 鈥 with Japanese partners recognising the professionalism we see now 鈥 not just here but across Grimsby.
鈥淲e may not have the landings here, but what is being processed here goes to a high value market, be it Michelin starred restaurants, Waitrose or the Lincolnshire Co-op.鈥
Mr Goodwill was accompanied by Seafish chief executive Marcus Coleman.
He said: 鈥淗e has only recently been appointed in this fisheries role and I know the minister is keen to get around the 海角视频.聽 It is a real pleasure to be able to bring him to Grimsby and welcome him.
鈥淲e wanted to give him a broad range of experiences, to give him that insight across industry.鈥
Challenges were addressed, including supply of material 鈥 both quota levels and friction free border crossings 鈥 as well as skills, labour and plastics, investment and consolidation.
