Scottish government has granted more than £5.8 million funds for fifty projects which will create dozens of jobs and safeguard hundreds more in Scotland’s fishing, processing and aquaculture sectors will benefit. It is informed that successful projects from the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) include making vessels more fuel efficient, improving quality in the processing sector and trialling a New Zealand system of mussel farming.
Besides, there was announcement of £5.25 million to redevelop Peterhead harbour, and with this the total public investment for the Scottish industry for 2009 to more than £11 million. Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead explained that combining together fishing, processing and aquaculture sectors are worth more than £1 billion to the Scottish economy, and in these difficult times, it is vital that we ensure they have a sustainable and profitable future.
Lochhead also said that it is good to see such a warm response from the applicant. He added that the level of innovation and business acumen on display. He also said that it would be wonderful to invest in the successful projects which will strengthen businesses and support our rural and coastal communities.
Lochhead has told this funding will go towards the modernisation of a number of vessels based in our ports, which will include improving catch quality and making some of them more fuel efficient. Alexander McLean, owner of the Fraserburgh-registered Ocean Harvest III, expressed that the changes which intend to make will bring everything bang up to date allowing us to land a prime product to market that makes such a difference nowadays.
Alan Addison, skipper of the Berwick-registered Serenity informed that the grant was easy to apply for and the fuel efficiencies created by upgrading our propeller have been truly amazing.
