Russia could threaten Britain’s fish and chip shops as Vladimir Putin threatens to rip up a treaty that allows British boats to fish in the Barents Sea. The treaty has been in place since 1956 when Britain and the then USSR agreed that British boats could fish just off the coast of Norway.
However, Putin’s government is believed to be ready to terminate this deal, triggering accusations that the dictator is weaponising the food chain and putting fish and chip shops at risk of closure.
Russian publication Izvestiya said the nation’s agriculture ministry had submitted draft legislation that would ban the UK from fishing for haddock or cod.
It was reported last year that around 40 percent of haddock and cod eaten in the UK comes from the Barents Sea making any ban significant.
Speaking to Sky, the president of the UK’s National Federation of Fish Friers Andrew Cook said Russia’s exit from the treaty would exacerbate the impact of their illegal war in Ukraine.
He explained: “For the last two years we’ve experienced really high prices on fish, which we’re still paying the price for. Any business that had savings that’s all been eroded because we’ve been paying a lot for fish – and potatoes.”
Mr Crook added that in recent years the UK had also placed a tariff on white fish caught by Russia which affected 50 percent of white fish eaten in the UK. Mr Crook accused Putin of “weaponising food” which was “not a good thing for the world”.
Izvestiya said the draft legislation had the approval of the Russian government and quoted a government document that said any “denunciation” would not cause “serious foreign policy and economic consequences” for Russia.
This isn’t the first time the British fish and chip shop has come under threat in the past few months. Last year, vinegar firm Sarsons warned the number of outlets could more than half from 10,500 to 5,000 in three years.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Sarsons said: “It’s no secret our chippies are facing turbulent times. Half of all chip shops are at risk of closure within the next two years because of rising ingredients, energy, and operational costs.”
Andrew Crook told the Mirror: “Fish and chip shops are so deeply entrenched in our culture and history, the thought of them disappearing is unimaginable. But given the threat of closure, this may become a bleak reality.
“From rising cost to operational challenges chippies face, our national dish is in danger.”
The number of fish and chip shops shutting is being driven by the cost of living crisis and rising energy bills associated with running a business. Furthermore, the rising cost of living means fewer people are eating out.
As a result, Britain’s most famous dish is at risk of going extinct because of international threats and national economic pressures. Even the most successful are closing down.
Last month, the residents of Whitstable mourned the closure of V.C. Jones which had earned a reputation for serving the “best fish and chips in the world” after it opened in 1962.
