Martin Laity and his business partner Tom Knights THREE weeks into Brexit and over 50 fishermen and women working in the Carrick Roads still haven’t earned a penny because of an ‘absolute lash-up’ by Defra. Martin Laity, who runs Sailor’s Creek Shellfish based in Flushing, says he has had to lay off over 50 oyster fishermen and women because Defra hasn’t even created the form that allows them to export to Europe after Brexit. He’s been told that it won’t be ready until April 21 but the shellfish season finishes on March 30th and doesn’t start again until November. Selling shellfish to Europe it has to be alive and fresh as it can be. If not, it is rejected and, with the new border controls, this cannot be guaranteed.