MP defends Filipino fishing jobs

Published on Tuesday 9 June 2009 22:04

AN ISLAND MP is fighting to save the jobs of Filipino fishermen working on Scottish boats.

The UK Border Agency claims that "vulnerable" overseas fishermen are being exploited by the Scottish fishing industry and says it will send home any who are in the country illegally.

But the move has angered fishermen's leaders, who fear many boats will be left crewless if the situation cannot be resolved.

Hundreds of fishermen from the Philippines work on Scottish boats.

The issue has been taken up by Angus MacNeil, MP for the Western Isles, who is seeking a meeting urgently with Phil Woolas, the minister at the Home Office.

He said: "In a letter to fishing boat owners, the Home Office have made clear that they are no longer allowed to have non-EU fishermen in their employment. This issue is going to seriously affect fishing boat owners in the Western Isles."

Mr MacNeil said fishermen's leaders have told him the overseas crews are highly skilled and have completed all the necessary training courses. He added: "We see many nurses from non-EU countries working in the UK, with many of them on temporary work permits; I cannot understand why the same cannot be done for the fishermen."

A spokeswoman for the UK Border Agency said: "At a time of economic downturn, it is inappropriate to import unskilled labour, especially while restrictions remain on EU nationals who are subject to transitional arrangements."