Scotland’s Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon condemns UK Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund as “insulting” to the Scottish fishing industry
Scotland’s Rural Affairs Secretary, Mairi Gougeon, has sharply criticised the UK Government’s allocation of funding from the new £360 million Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, describing the decision as “wholly unacceptable” and “nothing short of insulting” to the Scottish fishing industry and coastal communities.
In a strongly worded letter to Dame Angela Eagle, the UK Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Ms Gougeon demanded that the UK Government “reconsider its approach” and enter urgent discussions with devolved administrations to agree a fairer distribution model.
The row stems from the UK Government’s announcement earlier this week that Scotland would receive £28 million from the £360 million fund, compared to £304 million for England, £18 million for Wales, and £10 million for Northern Ireland. The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has based the split on the Barnett Formula, a Treasury mechanism that determines funding allocations between the four nations.
Ms Gougeon said the approach “bears no resemblance to the realities of the UK’s fishing industry,” pointing out that Scotland’s fleet consistently lands more than 60% of all UK fish by tonnage and value and accounts for over 60% of seafood exports. More than three-quarters of all UK quota species are landed by Scottish vessels.
“Over the past several months, at both ministerial and official level, we have set out a clear, rational, and evidence-based case for Scotland’s share of this funding to be representative of the relative size and importance of the Scottish sector,” she wrote. “Instead, the announced allocation of just 7.78% is a grossly oversimplified approach which does not represent a fair settlement for Scotland.”
The funding package, announced by Defra on 20 October, was described as a long-term investment to revitalise the UK’s fishing fleet, modernise equipment, and train the next generation of fishermen. However, Ms Gougeon dismissed the offer as “a meagre £2.3 million per annum” for Scotland over 12 years, warning that it falls far short of the scale required to sustain marine industries and support struggling coastal communities.
“This is nowhere near enough to support the next generation of fishermen and breathe new life into our coastal communities,” she wrote, accusing the UK Government of “misunderstanding and neglecting” Scotland’s maritime economy.
The letter also reflects deep frustration within the Scottish Government over post-Brexit fisheries policy. Ms Gougeon said the allocation is “yet another negative consequence of Brexit, which the people of Scotland did not vote for,” adding that Scottish fishing communities are “paying the price” for decisions made in Westminster.
She also criticised the lack of prior consultation, noting that the announcement was made public within hours of the devolved administrations being notified. “This demonstrates a disappointing departure from your government’s commitment to resetting and renewing the devolution relationship and effective intergovernmental working,” she said.
The dispute comes amid wider tensions over fisheries management and international access rights. Ms Gougeon referenced the UK’s post-Brexit fisheries deal with the EU, which she said would allow EU vessels to take £6 billion worth of fish from UK waters over 12 years — a deal the Scottish industry views as a major betrayal of Brexit promises.
The timing also coincides with uncertainty over scientific advice for key Scottish stocks, including mackerel and cod, which are expected to face quota reductions in 2026. “At the same time, we are still assessing the likely implications of the scientific advice on mackerel and cod, which are expected to have serious negative impacts for the fishing industry in Scotland,” she wrote.
Ms Gougeon’s letter has been copied to Welsh Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies and Northern Ireland’s Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir, signalling a possible coordinated response from the devolved administrations.
The UK Government maintains that its funding model ensures “fair and proportionate” investment across the UK and that devolved governments have flexibility to tailor spending to regional needs. However, the Scottish Government insists that a funding split based on population — rather than economic activity — is “illogical and unjustified” for a sector so heavily concentrated north of the border.
The dispute now adds further strain to already tense relations between Edinburgh and London over fisheries governance, with Scotland’s fishing leaders echoing Ms Gougeon’s concerns that the settlement undermines both the scale and significance of the Scottish fleet’s contribution to the UK economy.
