Hans J Marter

28 April, 2009

SHETLAND is the big winner in the latest round of European fisheries grants, details of which are to be announced at the world's largest seafood show, in Brussels, today (Tuesday).

Almost half of the total of £2.9 million is going to businesses in the isles, with the mussel farming industry being the largest beneficiary.

Scottish fisheries minister Richard Lochhead and environment minister Roseanna Cunningham will use the European Seafood Exposition as their platform to announce the funding to 39 companies across Scotland.

Shetland-based mussel farming and processing businesses Blueshell Mussels and Demlane are set to benefit from almost £500,000 each to help them further grow and develop.

Managing director of Blueshell Mussels, Michael Laurenson, said the funding coming from the new European Fisheries Fund, would help his business to grow by up to 50 per cent over the next five years.

Blueshell is to receive £469,690 to help trigger a £750,000 investment, which see them deploy 27 new growing lines, ancillary anchors and associated equipment.

The company already harvests around 950 tonnes of mussels annually and employs between 15 and 18 people at its processing plant at Brae and at 12 different growing sites.

Mr Laurenson said: "This is great news. We are a young company, just ten years old. This funding will enable us to grow the business by investing into new lines."

Local competitor Demlane, which is owned by Isle of Shuna, based on the Scottish west coast, has been awarded £479,538 to upgrade its existing processing facility at Walls with new cooking, packing and freezing equipment.

Company chief executive Donny Gillies could not be contacted for comment yesterday, as he was on route to Brussels.

Other Shetland mussel farming businesses benefitting from this round of funding are:

- Mussel Harvest Ltd, who will receive £95,400 towards modernising of a workboat and the installation of additional harvesting equipment;
- North Atlantic Shellfish Ltd, who have been granted £64,385 towards the installation of new declumping, grading and packing equipment. The company will in addition invest into expanding its UV water disinfection system, and also develop its company website; and
- C & A Thomason, who are to get £31,583 to help finance the installation of a washer, grader and sesocker.

Hjaltland Seafarms is the only salmon farming business to have been successful in this latest round of announcements.

The company, which last week opened a new state of the art processing plant in Lerwick, will receive £126,137 to help establish a new site for organic salmon. The money will go towards the requisition of cages, nets and a feed barge.

And two local whitefish trawlers received financial assistance to improve safety on board their vessels.

The Venturous partnership from Whalsay is to benefit from £9,940 towards fitting new rails and gallows, and Skerries based Colin Hughson and partner are to receive £24,689 to help purchase a Scanmar net monitoring system on board the Fairway.

Finally, A & D Johnson have been given £6,507 towards the installation of a flake ice machine and a Zanotti freezer unit on Eshaness pier.

Ministers will also use their attendance at the ESE to announce a new campaign to get more people in Scotland eating fish, highlighting its value as well as the many health benefits.

By encouraging more folk to eat their recommended weekly intake of fish, the Scottish government hopes to provide a further boost to the fishing industry.

Mr Lochhead said: "Scottish fish is harvested sustainably from one of the most spectacular marine environments anywhere in the world and by eating just two or more portions of fish a week consumers are also getting a major health boost.

"With over 60 species caught off Scotland's coast people are spoilt for choice and, what's more, fish offers real value for money."