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Truck with the inscription of an angry fisherman: Nobody expected such a bureaucracy
Photo: Alastair Grant / AP
Because there were massive problems with fish exports to Europe after the end of the Brexit transition period, around 20 fishermen demonstrated with their trucks near London's Downing Street.
The protest slogans with which the hauliers drove into London's government district were furious: "Incompetent government destroys the seafood industry" was on one of the trucks, "Brexit freight" on another.
There is fear that the system will collapse, said Gary Hodgson of the crab exporter association Venture Seafoods.
Due to delays at the ports of several days, fishing companies complain of high losses.
As a result of the Brexit, extensive health and customs controls have been necessary for the import of food into the EU since the beginning of the year.
According to the British Ports Association, British fishing companies now often travel to the continent for four days instead of one.
400 pages of documents for one transport
Many fishing communities have voted to leave the European Union, but none have expected such restrictions from the new bureaucracy, said Hodgson.
An exporter recently needed 400 pages of export documents for a ferry to the EU.
British fishermen want to draw attention to the extent of the problems.
They complain about a lack of competent customs officers on both sides of the English Channel.
Because of bureaucratic hurdles, numerous Scottish fishermen have already stopped exporting to the EU.
They criticize the fact that there are delays despite the trade agreement and that transports are significantly more expensive.
Problems with wooden pallets also made headlines recently - these must be treated specially for trade with Great Britain from now on.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson dismissed the problems at the ports as "teething troubles" that should soon be over.
According to experts, however, both sides have to be prepared for the fact that processes will take longer in the future.
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apr / dpa / Reuters
