This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Grant support for fishing development
03/09/2003
Funding totalling more than £4 million has been
allocated to 38 projects across Scotland to help improve
and modernise the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
The funding has been allocated from the Executive and EU
Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG)
programmes.
The programmes aim to assist projects involved in fish
processing and marketing, aquaculture, fishing vessel
modernisation, fishing port facilities and other
fisheries-related activities.
Environment and Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie
said:
"I am pleased to announce this further round of awards.
Scotland's fishing communities continue to face difficult
times but the projects that these grants support
demonstrate the resilience and determination of businesses
to look ahead and to build for the future.
"These awards provide much-needed support to remote
communities whose economies are heavily reliant on
aquaculture and fishing. I remain determined to encourage
sustainability and improvements in product quality at all
stages of the food chain."
This is the fifth round of awards under the European
Union's latest Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance
(FIFG) which was introduced in 2000 and will run until the
end of 2006. Applications for the next (sixth) round of
awards under the FIFG programme should be submitted to
SEERAD by September 30, 2003.
Over the period of the FIFG programme, £55 million has
been made available to Scotland (£17 million for the
Highlands and Islands area and £38 million for the rest of
Scotland). Joint Fisheries Management Groups, involving
partners from the industry, local authorities and the
enterprise network agreed the allocation of funds across
the six measures listed below for which schemes are now in
place.
- Processing and Marketing
- Aquaculture
- Fishing vessel modernisation
- Fishing port facilities
- Operations by Members of the Trade
- Innovative Measures
The Fisheries Management Groups will oversee the
administration of the schemes and regularly review funding
allocations in light of experience and demand.
The FIFG awards total £2.89 million and, in addition,
there will be a Member State back-up contribution. This
contribution - normally from SEERAD - must be at least five
per cent of eligible costs under the FIFG rules. Precise
amounts cannot be given at this stage, but the contribution
for this round will be in the region of £1.13 million.
Examples of the type of projects that will benefit from
the programme:
- The award of £144,000 to
Johnson Shellfish in Shetland will
assist the purchase of some of the most modern
equipment and technology for mussel production.
- The award of £150,000 to
Fraserburgh will aid the development
of the port through a deepening of the harbour entrance
thus allowing larger vessels to land their catches.
Additional harbour side sites will also become
available for existing and new businesses to make the
most of the new opportunities that will accompany the
harbour improvements.
- Scrabster Seafoods Ltd's award of
almost £200,000 will help the company construct a
purpose-built fish grading, processing and packing
facility at Scrabster harbour. The Executive encourages
adding value to local produce and this project will
enable the company to control the quality of product
and, by adding value to its products, to retain more of
the benefits that accrue. Full traceability of product
from the boat to the end customer will be established.
When completed, the project is expected to create 23
jobs and lead to new market opportunities for the
company.