Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has welcomed news that Orkney is to be included among eight new projects supporting sustainable fishing and fisheries science across the UK.
£1.4m in funding is being provided by the UK Government, including £300,000 to support a healthy lobster and crab industry. Partners in the project include Heriot Watt University and Orkney Sustainable Fisheries, and will see creel mounted cameras deployed in fisheries in Orkney.
Mr Halcro Johnston, the Scottish Conservative Shadow Business and Trade Minister, said: “This investment from the UK Seafood Fund is designed to level up coastal communities across the UK, and it’s good to see this support coming directly to Orkney from the UK Government.
“Our shellfish industry makes a significant contribution to Orkney’s economy which, as well as producing an excellent product which is exported well beyond Scotland and the UK, it also provides skilled and well-paid local employment”.
