This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Funding for fishing industry
21/03/2005
More than 80 projects ranging from modernising fishing
vessels, to harbour refurbishment and business start-up
have been awarded grants totalling £4.7 million today.
The funding, from the Executive and EU Financial
Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) programme, is
expected to trigger £16.2 million in private
investment.
An additional £1.5 million of Executive support is being
granted to the Highlands and Islands FIFG programme to
maintain the overall value of the programme following a
shortfall on the Commission spending target last year. This
will provide continued opportunities for grant support to
the region's fisheries sector.
Speaking at the Convention of the Highlands and Islands
on Shetland, Fisheries Minister Ross Finnie said:
"This funding underlines our commitment to a viable and
sustainable fishing industry.
"Today's announcement marks a further significant
investment in the future of our fisheries and aquaculture
industries.
"The additional £1.5 million funding which I am
providing for the Highlands and Islands will ensure that we
can deliver on our existing commitments in this area and
support new projects.
"The awards provide much-needed support to remote
communities across Scotland, including in Shetland, whose
economies are heavily reliant on fishing and
aquaculture."
This is the eighth round of awards under the European
Union's Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG)
which was introduced in 2000 and will run until the end of
2006. Over the period of the FIFG programme, £55 million
has been made available to Scotland (£17M 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 oversee the administration of the
schemes and regularly review funding allocations in light
of experience and demand.
FIFG assists projects involved in processing and
marketing, trade bodies, aquaculture development, fishing
vessel modernisation and improvements to port and harbour
facilities.
In order to utilise FIFG funding the Member State is
required to contribute a minimum of five per cent of total
eligible project costs. For the present round of awards the
total Member State contribution, principally from SEERAD,
will be approximately £6.2m.
In the Highlands and Islands the popularity of the
schemes has been such that after the next (ninth) round of
awards all resources are likely to have been committed. The
original closing date of March 31 for new applications has
therefore been extended to May 31 to provide applicants
with what may be the last opportunity to apply for
funding.
Outside of the Highlands and Islands the closing date
for the next round of applications is March 31 2005.
The following are examples of projects receiving FIFG
funding:
North Atlantic Fisheries College
The award of £35,140 grant to the
North Atlantic Fisheries College will allow the organisation to
undertake a trial of the viability of jig fishing
(automated hand-lining) around Shetland. Irrespective of
the outcome of the trial the project should provide
benefits for fishermen. If the trial is successful then
fishermen in the Highlands and Islands, especially owners
of small inshore vessels, may be encouraged to use this
technique to provide small high quality catches. If
unsuccessful then individual fishermen will have avoided
the financial risk associated with the trialing an
experimental fishery.
Whitelink Seafoods
The grant of £233,727 awarded to
Whitelink Seafoods Ltd under the
Processing and Marketing Grant Scheme will enable the
construction of extensions to the company's existing
premises at Fraserburgh, the provision of a new access to
the site, and the purchase of new glazing and packing
equipment. The extensions will allow a new prawn
processing area, a new despatch area and a new whitefish
processing area to be developed. The developments will
increase efficiency and productivity and will help the
company reduce unit costs, as well as creating 40 full time
jobs on completion.
Nufish Ltd.
The award of £446,380 to
Nufish Ltd. in Shetland will allow the
company to expand its hatchery to move on to the next stage
and to produce commercially viable quantities of juvenile
cod. The new award, under the Highlands and Islands
Aquaculture scheme, will build on the expertise and success
that the company has developed with the assistance of an
earlier FIFG grant. The project at Nufish is in direct
response to a strong demand within Shetland for an
increased supply of juvenile cod by fish farmers wishing to
grow the species. The expansion of the hatchery is expected
to expand the current work force from 13 up to 20.
Middleton Seafoods
Middleton Seafoods based in the Highlands
and Islands is an existing scampi processor that buys
Scottish scampi. Previously the scampi was transported out
of Scotland for further processing, grading, packaging and
freezing. A Processing and Marketing Grant Award of
£203,793 awarded in August 2004 has allowed the purchase
of processing equipment that will allow value to be added
in Inverness. The total investment is expected to be over
half a million pounds and the project will maximise the use
of Scottish raw materials and create 40 full time
positions.