Jimmy Buchan welcomes seafood industry boost worth up to £14m

A brand new assist package deal price as much as £14 million for the Scottish seafood business has been introduced.

The Scottish Authorities says it should encourage the sustainable use of sources for financial progress, assist livelihoods and jobs, and protect the marine ecosystem.

Functions for funding will be submitted by way of a brand new web site, which shall be up and operating from 10am on April 11.

An present web site exhibiting details about marine and fisheries grants shall be up to date forward of that date for the 2023-24 scheme.

Enterprise continues to be modern and with the added alternative of Scottish Authorities funding I’m assured it should make for some excellent tasks to come back to the fore.”

Jimmy Buchan, CEO, Scottish Seafood Affiliation.

The money is from the federal government’s Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) pot, arrange following the lack of EU funding for the sector due to Brexit.

Tasks benefitting from earlier MSF funding embody the modernisation of a salmon and trout processing plant to scale back vitality and water use, set up of photo voltaic panels at a seafood chilly retailer to chop its carbon footprint, and a brand new constructing for a shellfish producer to assist it meet rising demand from premium markets within the US and Asia.

Welcoming additional assist for the business, Scottish Seafood Affiliation chief government Jimmy Buchan stated: “Innovation and effectivity shall be key to the longer term success of the seafood processing/provide sector – and having the ability to compete not solely at a home and nationwide degree however in international markets too.

“Earlier and present years have and proceed to be very difficult.

“Nonetheless, enterprise continues to be modern and with the added alternative of Scottish Authorities funding I’m assured it should make for some excellent tasks to come back to the fore – making the seafood sector aggressive and driving up requirements and efficiencies.”

Mr Buchan – a former fishing skipper and star of the BBC’s in style Trawlermen collection – runs his personal seafood enterprise, Peterhead-based fish vendor Amity Fish.

Reasonably priced seafood ambition

Donna Fordyce, chief government of business physique Seafood Scotland, hailed continued MFS assist as “essential within the promotion of Scottish seafood in each creating new markets for the premium seafood we produce, but additionally in retaining present markets”.

She added: “That is notably so given the impacts of the previous couple of years, with Brexit and the Covid pandemic. We at the moment are additionally within the midst of a cost-of-living disaster, which requires persevering with effort to make sure the standard and affordability of Scottish seafood is recognised.”

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon stated: “Our seas and coasts assist important jobs throughout our economic system, particularly in coastal and island communities. The previous few years have been extremely difficult for the sector, with Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and cost-of-living disaster all having an affect.

“This fund continues to be key in supporting the sustainable growth of Scotland’s blue economic system and can play an essential function in enabling our marine and fisheries companies to develop.”