Chamber and committees

Thank you. That is interesting. I will have to see what South Ayrshire is doing.

The Supreme Court verdict provides clarity on the question of Scotland’s place in the United Kingdom. If a section 30 order from the UK Government is the most democratic route that is available to the Scottish Government to honour its democratic mandate, will the cabinet secretary join me in calling on the unionist parties in this chamber and in Westminster to stand by the principles of their own joint statement from June 2014, which said that

“Power lies with the Scottish people and we believe it is for the Scottish people to decide how we are governed.”

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the United Kingdom Government following the Supreme Court’s verdict on the ability of the Scottish Parliament to legislate for an independence referendum. (S6O-01647)

Food producers continue to grapple with labour shortages and those businesses often require access to migrant workers. If producers cannot get the workforce, they cannot make their food available to the public, and we cannot continue to modify our food culture and thereby give effect to the right to food if fresh produce is left to rot in the field because no one can harvest it. In that context, does the cabinet secretary agree that Labour ought to consider the comments of Keir Starmer, who said that freedom of movement was a “red line” and that Labour will not be going back on it?

The cabinet secretary will be aware of recent reports about strained relationships among managers at Forth Valley. Can he say any more about steps that could be taken to support culture change for leaders at all levels?

Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited is clearly not without its challenges, but, by stepping in the Scottish National Party Government saved Scottish shipbuilding on the Clyde and hundreds of jobs that went with it. We now also see that Glasgow Prestwick Airport Limited is turning a welcome profit. Does the minister agree that moving assets and businesses into public ownership when they are failing in the private sector can and does work?

Scotland’s fish are a national asset to our naturally wealthy country. In 2019, 70 per cent of Scotland’s seafood exports, worth more than £770 million, were to the EU. That same year, seafood accounted for 57 per cent of our overall food exports, with a total value of £1.02 billion.

Scotland has only 8 per cent of the UK population, but Scottish vessels accounted for 61 per cent of the value and 67 per cent of the tonnage of all landings by UK vessels in 2021. In South Ayrshire, which is in my constituency, the industry employs around 215 people and is worth £11.6 million.

Scotland is a major, internationally recognised fishing nation, and we need to ensure that we do everything that we can to protect that important industry.

Do people remember the big red bus that was going to save the UK £350 million a week to invest into the national health service? Another very fishy story by the Tories was that Brexit would be a “sea of opportunity” for the Scottish fishing industry. That has yet to come to fruition, and is very unlikely to. Brexit has been disastrous for the Scottish fishing industry.

The end of the UK Brexit discussions concluded that the trade and co-operation agreement did not deliver on the UK Government’s promises, particularly on the uplift of all quota shares.

Following the departure from the EU on 31 January 2020, the UK is now an independent coastal state. The Scottish Government, as part of the UK delegation, plays an active role in ensuring that Scotland’s interests are protected.

It is really important that we listen to the industry. I have a fish exporter who is based in my constituency. With an extra £5,000 added to his weekly costs due to Brexit administration, he says that his business is no longer viable.

I have met local fishermen in my constituency. Brexit, lack of staff, the cost of living crisis and fuel prices—

Yes.

I thank the member for that scripted question. I will get to that point later in my speech.

I have also met local fishermen, and I know that times are extremely tough for this once-thriving industry. Its existence is in real jeopardy, and time is running out to salvage the remains of our valuable fishing communities before they are lost for good. I thank the cabinet secretary for recently visiting a local Ayrshire fishing company with me to hear about the challenges that it faces and about the fascinating work that goes on and the wealth of experience in the industry. I know that she will meet fishermen on the Clyde shortly to continue that positive engagement.

We need to look at ways in which we can support the industry, as it is so important to the Scottish economy. The cabinet secretary’s motion highlights all the on-going negotiation with our international partners to ensure the best possible outcome for our Scottish fishers. I know that the Scottish Government’s negotiating strategy and priorities are influenced by high-quality science and take into account the wider policy objectives and socioeconomic implications, but I ask for consideration to also be given to utilising local fishing boats as reference fleets. Without accurate science, knowledge of local stocks can be limited.

Specifically on the Clyde, it should be noted that, this month, boats have been recording temperatures on the sea floor of 13°. In recent years, the figure has been 8°, which is still very high in comparison with previous years. According to scientists, cod generally spawn in temperatures of 4° to 7°. Therefore, climate change is having an impact on the industry, and local knowledge is valuable.

In relation to climate change, I also highlight the issue of fishing safety. Climate change is affecting sea temperatures, and some people are predicting more volatile weather. Ageing vessels will struggle to operate safely in such conditions and cannot be retrofitted to accommodate hybrid engines or alternative fuels. That issue will affect many of our fishermen in future.

On the Clyde, there has been a strong interest in increased prawn access. It has been acknowledged that the reduction in the nephrops fleet has been largely due to age, lack of crew, the impact of Brexit and Covid and recent closures. Increased access to prawn stocks might help to revitalise and replenish the coastal fleet, which has been reduced in Scotland in the past few years. I highlight that the Clyde fleet has been particularly hard hit in relation to access to crew, as enforcement of the transit visa measures has now been in place for more than a year in this region only. That has led to disproportionate opportunities regionally, as Northern Ireland boats have continued to fish in the Clyde, with full transit visa crew, while our Clyde boats have been tied up.

The Clyde Fishermen’s Association is deeply concerned that the number of fishing boats on the Clyde is now dwindling at a more rapid rate than numbers anywhere else in Scotland, so any consideration of support for diversification would be greatly appreciated. In Troon in my constituency, 20 years ago, there were 70 boats and now there are only six. The factories in Ayr, Kilkeel, Glasgow and Lanarkshire are seeing demand for nephrops domestically and in the EU, but they do not have the required volume of fishing boats or staff to support that demand from the market. The issue is becoming critical for factories in fishing communities. The Clyde fishermen wanted that issue to be raised so that the negotiating team is fully aware of all the challenges that they face.

Sure.

Scotland’s commercial fishing fleet and sea fisheries are significant contributors to Scotland’s rural and coastal economies. The commercial fishing industry contributes significantly to Scotland’s food and drink economy and, in particular, plays an important part in remote and potentially fragile communities. We need to preserve the industry for future generations to come.