Thread by @adampayne26

There are fishers whose EU exports are not being delayed or cancelled — they are totally banned

Shellfish traders in areas like Cumbria are shut out from their key market

The ban is until late April but industry fears some traders won't last that long politicshome.com/news/article/g…

The ban on shellfish not ready for consumption has resulted in some British cockle, mussel and scallop exports to the EU stopping overnight

A fisherman in Cumbria told me 95% of his family's sales go to France and that without them, "we wouldn't exist"

politicshome.com/news/article/g…

What can be done about it?

DEFRA says the ban lasts until late April but the issue is out of their hands

The industry fears some traders, reeling from Covid, won't last that long

There is also concern that some won't qualify for government compensation politicshome.com/news/article/g…

In so many of these stories, the big concern is that chaos, even if temporary, will lead to EU buyers ditching UK traders for good

“Our main worry is that the customers who we deal with – I've been sending to one family in France since 1999 – are going to find other suppliers"

A DEFRA spokesperson tells me the government “will continue to raise” with the EU the ban on some UK oysters, mussels, clams, cockles & scallops

The ban, which threatens to destroy businesses, is mainly affecting exporters in England and Wales, they add politicshome.com/news/article/g…