Outer Hebrides fishing vessel owners need to register to continue exporting to the EU

Owners of Outer Hebrides fishing vessels are being reminded of the need to register as a food business ahead of Britain’s exit from the EU.
Owners of fishing vessels throughout the UK will need to register as food businesses if they wish to continue to export their catches to EU member states.Owners of fishing vessels throughout the UK will need to register as food businesses if they wish to continue to export their catches to EU member states.
Owners of fishing vessels throughout the UK will need to register as food businesses if they wish to continue to export their catches to EU member states.

They need to contact Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s Environmental Health team to register their vessels and make arrangements for their vessel to be inspected.

This is a legal requirement for those who intend to export their catch, either directly or indirectly, to any EU member state after the end of the ‘transition period’ on December 31, 2020.

If vessel owners fail to meet this legal requirement by December 31, 2020, their catch will not be permitted for export to the EU from January 1, 2021.

Food Standards Scotland has been working closely with Scottish Government, local authorities and fishing organisations to support Scotland’s fishing industry during the transition period.

Pat Smyth, senior environmental health officer at Food Standards Scotland, said: “If you are a vessel owner exporting fish and seafood across Europe, the importance of urgently registering as a food business and being inspected by your local authority cannot be stressed enough.

“From January 1, 2021, your vessel(s) will need to have been inspected so that the Export Health Certificate, issued following inspection and confirming your export meets the health requirements of the designated country, can be complete or your catch will not be permitted for export.”

Elspeth Macdonald, chief executive officer at Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, said: “It is essential that fishermen ensure they have their vessels inspected by their local authority if any part of their catch will be exported to the EU after the end of this year.

“Failure to do so will mean that the authorities will not be able to issue the export health certificates, which will be needed after the end of the transition period.

“If skippers or owners need more information, they should contact their local authority. Food Standards Scotland has all of the local authority contact information on its website.”

Food Standards Scotland recently issued a letter to all fishing vessel owners highlighting the required action, and that the appropriate local authority contact is where your vessel has designated as its ‘home port’.

Owners of Outer Hebrides registered vessels are urged to contact Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to arrange an inspection to enable catch to be exported to EU countries.

Exemptions apply if your catch is intended either for personal consumption, or it does not exceed 25kg and is for direct sale from the quayside.

Vessel owners are responsible for this registration process, and failure to do so will mean that their catches cannot be exported to EU member states at the end of the transition period.

More details and a registration form are available on the Comhairle website at www.cne-siar.gov.uk/fishingvessels or by emailing environmental health at [email protected]