MP writes to Minister over Filipino fishing crew members

Angus macneil

Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil is to write to Home Office Minister Phil Woolas in regards to Scottish fishermen employing Filipino crew members.

The MP said: “After strong representations from fishermen and fishing organisations, I am going to urgently contact the Home Office Minister Phil Woolas MP, to urge him to put matters on hold until the legislation is reappraised by the UKBA, and the results of the submission to the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) are known.

“We need an urgent indication from the Minister on what is happening, if this is allowed to proceed it is going to cause huge problems for many fishing boat skippers who have crew members from the Philipines working for them.”

He added: “It will mean that there will be many boats that will be unable to go to sea if this is implemented.”

The lack of local people seeking jobs in the islands’ fishing industry means that some boats in the Western Isles fleet could be left without crew as UK Immigration enforces strict rules on employing Filipino fishermen.

The UK Borders Agency which regulates immigration is clamping down on the issue.

The main problem stems over the type of visa held by the Filipino nationals. Many just have a temporary transit visa which only permits them into the country to join a ship. The vessel is expected to sail out of the UK and into international waters.

But island fishing boats operate within the 12-mile limit  and the prawn trawlers which work the Minch are always in territorial waters. Even if they venture past the limit it is only for a short period and they soon return to port.

Using a transit visa for Filipino fisherman going no further than the Minch or the Flannans is considered illegal. The authorities now insist that a working visa is required but these are much harder to obtain.