Eight local action groups in fishing communities around Scotland have each won a share of £6.5million from the European and Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF).
Announcing the award of grants ranging from £882,000 for Orkney to nearly £1.5million for the north-east yesterday, Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead said there was more plenty cash in the kitty to support the fishing industry in key areas.
EMFF grants also have gone to the Forth, Highland/Moray, Argyll/Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Western Isles and Shetland fisheries local action groups.
Scotland has an allocation of about £83million from the EMFF scheme, which runs until 2020.
This is less than 2% of the overall value of the fund despite this country accounting for about 8% of the total EU fish catch.
Holyrood has long argued for a bigger share of the pot for Scotland, complaining the current allocation is among the lowest in Europe.
The programme opened to applications last month, and Mr Lochhead said he wanted as many bids as possible from eligible groups.
He added: “The fishing and aquaculture industries make a vital contribution, providing jobs and sustaining services, in many coastal communities around Scotland.
“The EMFF provides funding to support fishermen, sustainable aquaculture, the processing sector and the communities that depend on them.
“We have already seen applications being made and I’d encourage other eligible groups to think about whether they could benefit from this funding.
“For the first time in the UK, I have approved an allocation for fisheries local action groups which will benefit communities through funding job creation, diversification opportunities, opportunities for training and promotion of environmental measures.
“I am confident the local groups will make a real difference in the coastal communities they serve – from Shetland to Dumfries and Galloway.”