The trade body for Scottish salmon – the UK’s largest food export – has published a manifesto ahead of the general election.
Salmon Scotland’s detailed asks of the next government have been shared with all the main political parties in advance of their own manifesto publications.
Whichever party wins on July 4, salmon farmers want to see a more enlightened approach to the movement of labour into the UK, which recognises the unique challenges that coastal and rural farming communities face.
This includes a change to key worker definitions and a broader public signal that the UK is open to people coming here to work.
The sector also wants to see an improvement in the UK’s relationship with the EU, with a clear focus on the nation’s export businesses and less red tape for the supply chains on both sides of the English channel.
Salmon Scotland is urging the next UK government to implement electronic export health certificates (EHCs) to remove the unnecessary paperwork associated with exporting salmon to Europe which is costing salmon farmers an estimated £3 million every year since Brexit.
The trade body also wants the Scottish and UK governments to work together to address Scotland’s housing emergency, to ensure that people can live close to where they work – particularly in rural and coastal communities where there is a shortage of available, affordable accommodation.
Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said: “The Scottish salmon sector is a global success story. By growing salmon we’re growing Scotland, employing thousands of people in Scotland and generating vital wealth for our country in the form of well-paid jobs in our coastal communities and millions in taxes to fund public services.
“With the election campaign well underway, we want all parties to get behind the country’s top food export – Scottish salmon – and deliver the policies to help us grow responsibly. The policy recommendations we outline in our manifesto do just that.
“We need the next UK government to work more closely with the Edinburgh administration so that we can deliver the true potential of the blue economy, and help us to farm-raise more low carbon protein and keep Scotland and our world-renowned Scottish salmon on the global map.”