The fisheries minister has refused to say sorry for the government's handling of the post-Brexit shellfish saga amid tough questions from exporters whose sales to the European Union have been torpedoed since the New Year.

Britain could lose more jobs in its fishing sector if the current delays and increased costs involved in exporting to the EU post-Brexit are not ironed out soon, industry groups told British government officials on Tuesday (2 March).

Britain could lose more jobs in its fishing sector if the current delays and increased costs involved in exporting to the EU post-Brexit are not ironed out soon, industry groups told British government officials on Tuesday.

MPs were told that some fishing firms are looking at relocating parts of their operation to the European Union.

Some small firms are likely to go under due to the extra cost of exporting to Europe, experts have predicted.

British fishing businesses could go bust or move to Europe because of post-Brexit trading disruption, industry figures have warned.

The Shellfish Association of Great Britain wrote to its members stating that in private the UK government had “changed this position” and confirmed that the EU’s stance “is correct”.

Many cockles and mussels producers in Wales have been told they cannot continue exporting to the EU because the water quality is not good enough.

The government faces pressure to provide "as much support as humanly possible" to UK shellfish traders who have seen their exports grind to a halt as post-Brexit rules mean their catches are now totally banned from the EU.