'We need action, and fast' Scottish seafood exporters take to London

Hundreds of seafood exporting lorries have descended upon Westminster today to to highlight the issues they are facing post-Brexit with delays.

It's claimed fish is going to waste because of red tape - with reports seafood could currently be tied up in paperwork for up to four days before being exported.

Whilst the Prime Minister Boris Johnson has already promised compensation for affected firms, many believe things aren't happening urgently enough.

"We need action and action is going to have to happen fast"

Scotland Food and Drink James Withers said:

"We need action and action is going to have to happen fast, as every day goes by the buyers in the European Union and France and Spain have to go elsewhere."

"The buyers that would normally do business with Scotland have had to go elsewhere, we've seen reports of buyers doing business with Norway and Denmark"

"The reality is that a reputation takes longer to fix than an I.T system, so we are going to have to see movement on this in the next few days."

Ali Hughson is Chairman of the Scottish Creel Fishermen Federation.

"There are a number of vulnerable businesses across Scotland that are going to go bankrupt, they will go to the wall."

He said:

"The reason for the protest down in London today is to highlight the issue and keep it on the agenda, and to show them how angry and frustrated everybody in the shellfish industry throughout the UK have become."

"If the problems with exports aren't sorted out very soon there are a number of vulnerable businesses across Scotland that are going to go bankrupt, they will go to the wall."

"We are very keen to sell our products locally, but I don't feel it can be sustained, especially this time of year."

"If things carry on they are going to have to compensate us - there's folk paying mortgages and business loans."

Christopher Fahy is a creelman in Inverness, he's had to try and sell produce locally to keep money coming into the business:

He said:

"There's too much red tape and technical jargon right now, but if things carry on they are going to have to compensate us - there's folk paying mortgages and business loans."

"It will certainly get their attention that's for sure, something has to be done and I don't think there's too many other options really."

"It's one of Scotland's biggest exports, there's so many people dependent on this, from small to massive boats."

"When it's not peoples fault of course we are going to compensate and help out"

Boris Johnson has confirmed there's to be a £23million compensation scheme for exporters who faced post Brexit delays.

Responding to the protests, the Prime Minister said:

"When it's not peoples fault of course we are going to compensate and help out, and funds are being put in place to do that."

"But be in no doubt, there are great opportunities for fishermen across the whole of the UK to take advantage of spectacular marine-wealth of the United Kingdom."

"I sympathise very, very much and I understand their frustrations"

"I'm also saying where businesses through no fault of their own have experienced bureaucratic delays, difficulties getting their goods through when their is a genuine buyer at the other side of the Channel - then there is a £23 Million compensation fund that we've set up."

James Withers told us in response to the funding announcement:

"This compensation offer looks like the first welcome recognition from the UK Government since the turn of the year of the problems that the seafood industry in particular has been facing."

"Crucial now will be the detail, who is this for and when will this money arrive?"

"But ultimately it will just buy time, the fundamental issues are the systems that keep crashing."

"Ultimately we need a much smoother bureaucratic system to get product to the customers who so badly want it on the continent."