Post-Brexit trade: Fish prices ‘collapsing’ in UK as red tape hits exports and supply chain

Post-Brexit trade: Fish prices ‘collapsing’ in UK as red tape hits exports and supply chain

Post-Brexit red tape is causing some UK exports to the EU to grind to a halt, industry bodies have warned, as the new rules that came into force at New Year begin to bite.One fish exporter said on Monday that prices were "collapsing" in the Scottish port of Peterhead, amid reports that some have fallen by as much as 80% due to "export blockages".It follows an earlier warning that "dozens of fish lorries have failed to leave Scotland on time after Brexit regulations came into force".There are fears that UK exports to the continent could experience severe delays as French authorities step up enforcement of new trade rules.Meanwhile, there have also been reports of major food supply problems in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic due to new trading rules.The EU-UK post-Brexit trade deal struck on Christmas Eve secured mutual access to markets free of tariffs and quotas. But the UK's departure from the EU's trading structures has brought a plethora of other obstacles, involving new IT systems, customs declarations and regulatory checks.'Door to the EU now shut'James Withers, CEO of Scotland Food & Drink, said on Sunday that there had been many messages from "food exporters who are finding