This funding forms part of the latest round of European Fisheries Funding (EFF) announced by the Scottish Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead during a visit to the Western Isles. These grants will support 109 new projects through £6 million funding and enable investment of over £14 million in sea fisheries, aquaculture and processing industries.
The funding which will benefit the IFGs will go towards; establishing the location of fishing activities within inshore areas; identifying fishery impacts; defining the environmental footprint and availability of stocks; developing economic value within local fisheries and; establishing an information resource base to assist the management of inshore fisheries.
Other EFF recipients include:
• £377,417 for a West of Scotland Demersal stock survey by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation which will benefit fishermen Western Isles and down the West coast.
• MFV Resilient, Fraserburgh which received £35,000 for vessel upgrades
• Shetland Fishermen’s Association, who received £158,500 to research fish stock in the northern North Sea
• John Ross Jnr, Aberdeen who received £245,113 for processing facilities and equipment- more than £6,000 in grants to individual vessels in the Western Isles.
Speaking from the Western Isles Mr Lochhead said: “Inshore fishing is vital to Scotland and to many of our coastal communities and the fleet lands fantastic, top quality, high value products that are exported all over the world. This funding will help improve sustainable practices bringing further benefits to these communities.
“This is the final round of grants under the EFF which will be replaced by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and brings the total funding for this scheme to almost £84 million. This has brought real benefits to fishermen, processors and the aquaculture industries across Scotland.
"This latest round of grants is expected to trigger capital investment of £14.6 million, when the contribution made by businesses themselves is taken into account. Companies and individuals around the country are set to benefit, from fishing ports of the North East to the South West, from the Western Isles to the Northern Isles.”
Duncan MacInnes, Secretary of the Western Isles Fisherman’s Association said: “This latest round of EFF awards is welcome news here in the Western Isles. As well as grants for individual vessels, the research projects being funded will be of huge benefit to fishermen working in the inshore waters of Scotland.”
