Seafood sector investment

Shellfish growers and trout producers will receive a share of £800,000 of funding to help make improvements to their businesses to mitigate the impact of the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The grants from the European Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF) to 11 aquaculture businesses include nearly £100,000 for phase two of the expansion of Seaforth Mussels on the Isle of Harris and around £200,000 for new specialist trout harvesting equipment at Dawnfresh Seafoods Ltd in Lanark.

This investment for small aquaculture businesses is in addition to hardship payments of up to £27,000 which were launched as a direct response to COVID-19 last month.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said:

“COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the seafood sector with the market for some products disappearing almost overnight, leaving many businesses at risk of financial ruin.

“This new funding is being awarded to businesses working in rural areas who have been hit the hardest by this pandemic, helping them to strengthen their business and recover from the loss of markets.

“Aquaculture is an important part of our food and drink success story which we need to preserve. In addition to this EMFF funding, over the last month we have provided hardship funding payments worth more than £340,000 to 28 eligible shellfish growers and trout farmers.”

Dr Nick Lake, Chief Executive of the Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers, said:

"This shows continued confidence by both the shellfish businesses and Scottish Government that once the impacts of the current COVID-19 crisis are overcome the industry has continued scope for development.

"There is optimism that shellfish cultivation businesses as part of the wider Scottish rural economy will continue to deliver quality shellfish which is held in high regard within both the UK and internationally.

“By investing at this time for future development of our sector it indicates the Scottish Government’s ongoing commitment to sustainable seafood production.”

Background

Of the £800,000 awarded, £600,000 comes from the EU and £200,000 from the Scottish Government.

As well as £800,000 to aquaculture businesses, phase nine of the European Maritime Fisheries Fund also includes £1.4 million for two Marine Scotland Science projects and £58,950.00 for a Scottish Government project.

The Scottish Government has already invested £22.5 million in the seafood sector in response to COVID-19. Details about the aquaculture, seafood processing and fisheries schemes.

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Sea-fisheries

Ref	Applicant Name	Description	Location	Postcode	Priority	Article	Total Project	Grant Amount	EMFF	Start date	End date
SCO2388	Scottish Government	Analysis of the optimal allocation of Nephrops fishing grounds in Scotland's waters	Edinburgh	EH6 6QQ	1	28	£58,950.00	£58,950.00	£44,212.50	10/9/18	31/5/20
Aquaculture
Ref	Applicant Name	Description	Location	Postcode	Priority	Article	Total Project	Grant Amount	EMFF	Start date	End date
SCO2405	Kames Fish Farming Ltd	Feed Barge - Loch Pooltiel	Argyll	PA34 4XA	2	48 (a)	£740,000.00	£370,000.00	£277,500.00	1/12/19	1/2/21
SCO2489	Invicta Trout Ltd	Invicta trout improve	Dumfries	DG2 0JL	2	48 (f)	£3,880.80	£1,930.80	£1,488.10	10/12/18	31/3/20
SCO2607	Orkney Oysters Ltd	Hoy Oysters	Orkney	KW16 3NZ	2	48 (b)	£22,927.11	£11,463.55	£8,597.66	15/7/19	15/7/23
SCO2631	Isle of Mull Oysters Ltd	Australian basket system	Mull	PA75 6QS	2	48  (a)	£25,885.00	£12,942.51	£9,706.87	1/11/19	31/3/20
SCO2632	Mackenzie Oysters	Mussel spat collection on innovative foreshore system	Cromarty	IV2 4GX	2	47 c	£9,796.68	£4,898.34	£3,673.75	3/1/20	23/12/20
SCO2228	Seaforth Mussels Ltd	Expansion plan phase 2	Isle of Harris	HS4 3XZ	2	48 (a)	£203,758.00	£98,758.00	£74,068.50	14/2/20	21/3/21
SCO2603	Sound of Luing Bivalve Seafarm	Eilean An Atha hatchery	Luing	PA31 8PD	2	48 (a)	£27,850.00	£13,925.00	£10,433.75	27/10/19	29/6/20
SCO2612	Cloan Hatcheries Ltd	Improving the status of the River Ericht	Blairgowrie	EH4 8EH	2	48 e	£118,770.72	£59,385.36	£44,539.02	22/10/19	23/3/20
SCO2633	Dawnfresh Seafoods Limited	Aquaculture  - Specialist Trout Harvesting System	Lanark	G71 6LS	2	48 (a)	£675,000.00	£202,500.00	151,875.00	25/1/20	31/3/20
SCO2636	Eastvoe Shellfish Ltd	Mussel Workboat Upgrade	Shetland	ZE1 0US	2	48 (a)	£150,005.60	£75,002.80	£56,252.10	1/12/19	31/10/20
SCO2630	Tobermory oysters	Depuration system	Mull	EH39 5AN	2	48 (a)	£25,600.00	£12,800.00	£9,600.00	1/11/19	1/3/20
						Total	£2,003,473.91	££863,606.36	£647,744.75
Integrated Maritime Planning (IMP)
Ref	Applicant Name	Description	Location	Postcode	Priority	Article	Total Project	Grant Amount	EMFF	Start date	End date
SCO2572	Marine Scotland Science	Cumulative Effects Framework for Marine Natura 2000 Sites and Priority Species	Aberdeenshire	AB11 9DB	6	80 (b)	£859,000.00	£859,000.00	£644,250.00	1/5/19	30/4/22
SCO2457	Marine Scotland Science -Freshwater Laboratory	Piscivorous Bird Predation on Salmon	Pitlochry	PH16 5LB	6	80 (b)	£625,375.90	£625,375.90	£469,031.92	27/11/19	31/12/21
						Total	£1,484,375.90	£1,484,375.90	£1,113,281.92