Scottish seafood has lost up to 50% of its value, on species intended for the EU market, according to Seafood Scotland.
The organisation tweeted a statement yesterday, attributed to Chief Executive Donna Fordyce, saying export was all but impossible for some companies.
It said the price drop was actually as much as 80% for some species, but stabilised only because less fish is being landed – with around one third of the Scottish fleet tied up.
Some boats are redirecting their catch to Denmark where it can more easily make its way to the European market.
One company that sends £1 million worth of product to the EU every week managed to get just £12,000 worth across last week. As a result, the 27 boats that supply them have been told to stop fishing.
The organisation says the problems are do with confusion over paperwork and computer failures.
Ms Fordyce has asked for a six-month grace period over the paperwork requirements.
She said, “The sector is at rock bottom and needs space to breathe. Trying to navigate the system is like pushing water uphill…
“…. At the heart of it the UK system needs to be fixed. This cannot be done while it is live. With some breathing space the system can be fixed and rebooted.”
