Will a no deal Brexit mean the end of our beloved fish and chips? Of course not! — Seafish
Blog article
08 April 2019

Will a no deal Brexit mean the end of our beloved fish and chips? Of course not!

Keeping up with Brexit is a full time job, particularly for our regulation team who are busy reading and interpreting everything that is happening. Our aim is to keep Seafish colleagues and the seafood industry up-to-date.
Photo of portion of fish and chips

With frequent changes and developments in the landscape of EU Exit – it’s difficult to comment on every news story, but one story appeared last week about our beloved fish and chips that we couldn’t let slide. Summarising the lack of knowledge about the issues, the article highlights the scaremongering that has dominated our media over the past three years. 

The Telegraph, The Sun and The Independent reported that an EU official claimed a no deal Brexit would lead to the demise of our fish and chips. Why? Because we import most of the cod and haddock served in our local chippys and restaurants. Without a deal, the import tariffs that would be imposed on the industry from the EU would make it unaffordable.

Let us tell you why your Friday night portion of fish and chips is LEAST likely to be impacted by anything that happens with Brexit:

  1. Cod, haddock and every species of fish that is used by fish and chip shops will be allowed entry into the UK tariff-free; whether fresh, frozen, filleted or whole. This is 12-month temporary arrangement that comes into force if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
  2. Most of our whitefish comes from Norway, Iceland and the Faroes, and trade agreements have been brokered with all three countries. 

Whilst there are many unknown aspects about life outside of the EU for the UK, you’ll still be able to enjoy the national tradition of fish and chips without breaking the bank. 

For more updates on Brexit and what it means for the seafood industry, check out our Preparing your business for EU Exit guide.