The outbreak of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) badly hit the fish farmers in Shetland in the past year. The authority is now decided to benefit them from the latest round of European fisheries grants worth more than pounds 9 million. It is said that there have been six cases of ISA since January, most recently at a site owned by Skelda Salmon Farms Ltd.
Skelda Salmon Farms Ltd. is said to receive a grant of £346,248 towards a £466,000 project to trial mooring grids to test strains in different environmental conditions. Hjaltland Seafarms Ltd, three of whose fish farms were hit by ISA, will get £615,218 to put towards equipment for a new site, upgrading of existing equipment, protecting against seal predation and pilot projects to improve the accuracy of determining biomass data within cages and evaluate feed formulations. The company is investing a total of over £1.2 million.
Aquaculture will get almost £130,000 towards developing a sustainable area/farm management structure in the fin fish sector and developing and delivering a course on fish welfare. In all, Shetland businesses and organisations will receive just over £2 million of the £9.3 million awarded by the European Fisheries Fund.
Scottish environment minister Roseanna Cunningham opined that the aquaculture industry is the lifeblood of many rural and coastal communities and widely regarded as the only way of meeting the growing global demand for seafood. Fisheries minister Richard Lochhead said he hoped the grants would help the fishing industry get over what he said had been a “difficult year” and create positive opportunities for the future.
As per Lochhead fishing is a key industry for Scotland supporting many coastal and rural communities. There is no question that 2009 has been a difficult year for some fleets, and 2010 will also be challenging. This funding are determined to maximise the value of the catch and help them to achieve greater profitability.
