Fisheries

A project to gauge the impact of environmental and climate change on Scotland’s iconic wild salmon population has begun.

Numbers of wild Atlantic salmon returning to Scotland have declined over the last four decades by around 40%, impacting the conservation status of many rivers in the country.

Sea-Changers, the marine conservation charity has launched a new fund, the Marine Conservation Social Fund.

The new Social Fund has a unique emphasis on supporting or enhancing participants’ health and well-being and / or delivering benefits for disadvantaged communities, through marine conservation activity.

Fishing businesses and marine organisations have been awarded funding to mitigate the impacts of Brexit and help the sector recover from effects of COVID-19.

The financial support of almost £800,000 – part of the £14 million Marine Fund Scotland - was announced by Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon in a food and drink debate in the Scottish Parliament.

An independent review of how fish farms are regulated is underway in a move to make Scottish aquaculture legislation one of the most effective and transparent in the world.

Professor Russel Griggs OBE has been appointed to lead the first phase of the review.

Funding of £1.8 million will help Scottish seafood businesses recover from the severe economic impacts of Brexit and Covid-19.

The funding, managed by trade marketing body Seafood Scotland, will support seafood businesses to access new markets within the UK and abroad, including campaigns in Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East.

Fishing crews will benefit from 100 new on-board defibrillators and a range of life-saving training opportunities.

The critically endangered flapper skate is to gain further protection following the urgent designation of a new Marine Protected Area (MPA) within the Inner Sound of Skye.

The site will protect a nationally important flapper skate egg nursery area, which is the largest of its kind to be identified in Scotland.

The winners of Lantra Scotland’s ALBAS (Awards for Land-based and Aquaculture Skills) were announced on Thursday 4^th March at a special virtual ceremony.

Streamlining export processes, fixing IT systems and resolving trade issues with the EU must be urgent priorities for a new UK Government led seafood export taskforce, Fisheries Secretary Fergus Ewing has said.

Speaking ahead of the first meeting of the Scottish Seafood Export Taskforce on Friday, Mr Ewing outlined areas where the industry has faced challenges since the end of the EU Exit Transition Period. He said the taskforce’s focus must be on: