Hard-hit harbours thrown a lifeline
Scottish Government to help seafood sector and ports and harbours that have been hit by reduced income from landing fees.
The British Ports Association (BPA) has said that it welcomes the Scottish parliament’s commitment to help the fishing industry and ports with the introduction of a new £7.7m fund.
Mark Simmonds, Director of Policy at the BPA, said: “This support is very welcome and will help Scottish Fishing Ports that have seen both landings and prices fall due to covid and now additional non-tariff barriers to key export markets. It means that some capital projects that might have been at risk due to the volatility may now still be able to go ahead.”
The BPA’s fishing ports group represents the majority of the UK’s fishing havens and says the funding package will help support fishermen, seafood businesses, ports and harbours threatened by the ongoing effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The package includes £1m to be made available to support the investment plans of ports and harbours that have been hit by the loss of revenue from reduced landing-fee income.
