Committee publication · Correspondence · 3 March 2026
Correspondence from Scottish Fishermen's Federation relating to skilled workers visas, dated 20 February 2026
From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Fisheries and the marine environment
Summary
The Scottish Fishermen's Federation responds to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee's inquiry into impacts of removing sector-specific visa options for fishing. SFF opposes characterisation of the sector as uniquely prone to worker exploitation, argues transition to domestic workforce is impractical without adequate timescale, and contends that visa type does not determine worker treatment. The Federation urges government to maintain flexible pathways for skilled non-UK fishermen.
Key findings
- Removal of sector-specific visas will significantly impact vessels fishing within 12 nautical miles of Scotland, particularly on the west coast where smaller vessels cannot practically fish beyond territorial limits.
- SFF disputes Minister Tapp's framing of fishing as uniquely presenting exploitation risks, asserting such cases are isolated exceptions and the sector complies with ILO 188 Work in Fishing Convention through Maritime and Coastguard Agency inspections.
- Transition to purely domestic workforce is not feasible within proposed timescale: unemployment is low in fishing communities, recruitment of skilled workers faces structural barriers (housing availability, cost), and Defra-sponsored research recognises transition will be 'neither easy or quick'.
- SFF argues visa type is not indicative of worker treatment and disputes that more flexible routes increase exploitation risk; contends general work rights routes are unsuitable for specialist fishing roles requiring particular aptitude for sea work.
- SFF criticises disproportionate allocation of UK Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund to Scotland as undermining government's own workforce upskilling ambitions.
Tone
AdversarialTopics
Key actors
Scottish Fishermen's Federation, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Home Office, Minister Tapp, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Elspeth Macdonald
Notable line
“… seems to be singled out by successive governments as presenting particular problems and risks for exploitation. We believe this is unwarranted.”
Key Quotes
“Clearly SFF will never condone illegal working or exploitation of any fisherman, regardless of their nationality, where they come from, or what paperwork they have.”
“Fishing is only one of many maritime sectors operating in waters that surround the UK that has a reliance on non-UK workers yet seems to be singled out by successive governments as presenting particular problems and risks for exploitation.”
“… if Scotland's fishing industry is to continue producing renewable, sustainable and affordable food from our seas and supporting thousands of jobs both at sea and ashore, we need Government to support a variety of pathways to meet labour requirements …”
“There will be impacts for many vessels fishing within 12 nautical miles (nm) around Scotland. This is likely to have impacts around the coast for parts of the fleets working inshore and particularly so for those on the west coast …”
“Unemployment is very low in many of the places that the fishing fleet operates from, and there are well recognised difficulties in recruiting domestic workers with the skills, experience and, perhaps most importantly, the aptitude required for working in fishing.”
“It is our view that the type of visa that individuals have is not indicative of how a worker will be treated.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗