Scotland: Five million pound funding boost to bring new jobs to fishing communities – Fishupdate.com

Scotland: Five million pound funding boost to bring new jobs to fishing communities Published:  29 March, 2006

TWO hundred and seventy six new jobs are expected to be created as a result of 5.19 million pounds of funding to improve and modernise fisheries and aquaculture businesses around the Scottish coast.

78 companies will benefit from grants under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) programme which will also help safeguard 2300 existing jobs in the sector.

The money will be used to make the sectors more sustainable, profitable and well managed by improving port facilities and upgrading processing plants and vessels.

Announcing the funding, Fisheries Minister Ross Finnie said:

“I am committed to supporting Scotland’s fishing and aquaculture industries and this money along with an additional 3.75 million from the Scottish Executive will help make us more competitive on a global scale.

“Fishing and aquaculture is the economic mainstay of many of our remote and fragile coastal communities. This investment will not only bring new jobs to these areas but will also secure existing jobs for the future.

“I am particularly pleased to announce support for the Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation to take forward the Industry Code of Good Practice. This was one of the priority action points outlined in our Strategic framework for Scottish Aquaculture and I am delighted to provide financial assistance to help make it happen.”

This is the 10th round of awards under the European Union’s FIFG programme which was introduced in 2000 and will run until the end of 2006.

Over the period of the programme 55 million pounds has been made available in Scotland (17 million in the Highlands and Islands and 38 million pounds for the rest of Scotland.)

In addition to the FIFG awards there has been Member State back up contribution. The Executive has given 3.75 million pounds for projects supported in this round of awards. A full list of successful projects is available on http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Fisheries/grants-subsidies

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