The Scottish Government has announced the recipients of £14 million for marine sector projects, many of them focused on innovation and sustainable development.
A total of 60 projects will receive grants ranging from £1,500 to £1.7 million from the Marine Fund Scotland. The largest award went to Seafood Scotland to promote Scottish seafood exports. Many of the projects went to fisheries and aquaculture operations as well as processing plants. But other grants went to universities and industry organizations such as the Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group. Others aimed to deal with the country’s problem with seals: one was given to the Tweed Foundation to support a non-lethal seal repellent.
The country said a number of the projects are expected to create new jobs and all will support coastal communities. Recipients of funding this year include projects to
- Support more young people to enter the sector
- Promote Scottish seafood in the UK and abroad
- Install solar panels and upgrade insulation to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions
- Provide equipment, training and skips to support beach cleans
- Develop shellfish storage tanks to be placed at sea to supply lobster more sustainably
“It’s brilliant to see Scottish seaweed businesses recognised in this round of Marine Fund Scotland awards,” said Scottish Seaweed Industry Association CEO Rhianna Rees. “It shows how far the sector has come, and how much work has gone into the development of the seaweed industry.”
