Border checks on shellfish vivier lorries. Join me and help us bring these issues to a head as our industry will not stand the requirements and costs that’s been thrown at us since 1st January.

I have worked very hard over the years to build my business to where it is today and I am not going to sit back and watch it struggle and suffer with everything put in front of us now with the regulations and timings and documents we now need to export, not including constantly waiting on document and missing ferries as stuff doesn’t come through.

I know most of you are oblivious to the problems they are all facing as everything has been kept from papers and the news. Shellfish exporters provide a complicated service to each and every fishermen on a weekly basis. Fishermen rely on them every single week, buying their product and exporting to customers in France and Spain. With everything thrown at them since 1st January, there is a serious strangle hold on exporters to do the job we need to do. This whole process does not work with live shellfish never mind the astronomical costs involved.

As we fishermen know we have to load a day earlier now in order to get the mountain of paperwork sorted for before lorry can leave, from custom entry’s to absolutely ridiculous catch certificates and veterinary health checks done. Even with all this done and paperwork on the lorry they are still waiting on agents sending our import packs from France before we can get on the boat. If not all documents received on time then no access to the boat, which I believe is happening. All external agents are struggling to cope. The shellfish cannot withstand all this extra time in vivier trucks. The shellfish is in the tanks 30+ hours more than normal. This will be a major issue going forward with mortality.

We need help from all fishermen, exporters, hauliers, processors and any other businesses that this is affecting to get our voices heard before our industry is destroyed.

If we cannot do our job then just think where does that leaves you guys.

I am only 1 voice and will not be heard alone. We as businesses need help to get things sorted sooner rather than later.

We all need to take action now, before it’s too late please sign and share.