31 May 2008

Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael has called on the UK Government to block a European Commission move to scrap controls on cheap salmon being imported into the EU.

The EC’s anti-dumping committee in Brussels have decided to lift the minimum import price imposed on supplies of salmon from outside the EU.

It has been predicted that thousands of jobs could be lost across the Scottish salmon industry if the fish can be brought into the EU at any price.

Mr Carmichael said the decision had not yet been confirmed, as it still “needs to be ratified by the Council of Ministers” and the UK government should act now to avoid disaster.

Mr Carmichael said: “Our Government must start now to build the coalition with other countries to block this move, otherwise the future for aquaculture in the UK is devastatingly bleak.

“Fish farmers are already struggling with increased feed and fuel costs and the removal of import price control will kick the feet out from underneath them, at a time when they are least able to cope”.