Politics
Shades of green
The platform thrashed out by the SNP and the Scottish Greens is dangerously vague, argues Hamish Macdonell It’s all in the detail. Or, rather, in the case of the SNP-Green deal, perhaps it isn’t. The coalition that isn’t, announced last month, was hardly unexpected. It had been trailed for weeks as the two parties conducted…
Read MoreMSPs slate lack of progress in marine planning
Regional Marine Plans in Scotland are stalling due to a lack of political leadership and funding, according to a critical report from a committee of the Scottish Parliament. In a report published today, Holyrood’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee (ECCLRC) finds that, 10 years on from the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, there has…
Read MoreAid pledged for Scotland\’s langoustine sector
The Scottish government has allocated £1 million funding to support the langoustine industry through the Covid-19 pandemic. Langoustine (Nephrops) is Scotland’s second biggest seafood export, worth £80 million annually, but the government says it has been particularly badly impacted by Covid-19, with the loss of important domestic and export markets. A new body, the Scottish…
Read MoreAid pledged for Scotland\’s langoustine sector
The Scottish government has allocated £1 million funding to support the langoustine industry through the Covid-19 pandemic. Langoustine (Nephrops) is Scotland’s second biggest seafood export, worth £80 million annually, but the government says it has been particularly badly impacted by Covid-19, with the loss of important domestic and export markets. A new body, the Scottish…
Read MoreFood and industry chiefs in Brexit plea
The Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation has joined with other leading bodies in the country’s food and drink sector in a plea to the Prime Minister for more time to deal with the impact of Brexit. In an open letter to Boris Johnson the industry chiefs express concern that uncertainty over Brexit is compounding pressures on…
Read MoreScottish Sea Farms makes case for Wester Ross site
Scottish Sea Farms says that its proposed facility off Wester Ross will take full account of the needs of the Wester Ross marine protected area (MPA). Responding to an objection lodged by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Scottish Sea Farms’ managing director Jim Gallagher said: “It’s absolutely right that sensitive habitats and species be protected and…
Read MoreDanish Aquaculture hits back at plans to restrict growth
The body representing Denmark’s fish farming industry has hit out strongly against government plans to curb further coastal based expansion. Last week Environment Minister Lea Wermelin introduced two new bills to restrict growth in the offshore sector “in order to protect the marine environment”. Now the chairman of Danish Aquaculture, Niels Dalsgaard, has criticised the…
Read MoreIrish mussel and oyster farmers offered Covid-19 aid
Rope mussel and oyster farmers in Ireland will get extra support to help cope with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, announced a package on Thursday that will provide a fixed, one-off payment of between €6,800 and €16,300 to each eligible oyster farming business and…
Read MoreDenmark’s environment minister outlines legislation to curtail marine aquaculture
Two bills have been introduced in the Danish Parliament that seek to restrict the growth of the country’s offshore aquaculture sector. Environment minister Lea Wermelin said the measures are required in order to protect the marine environment. She also said she wanted to see more fish farming take place in fresh and salt water dams…
Read MoreScottish Government says £62m in fisheries support is needed after Brexit
Scotland should receive at least £62 million annually to replace the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) from next year, according to Fergus Ewing, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism in the Scottish Government. Ewing raised the issue at an EU Exit Operations meeting last week and has now written to Secretary of State…
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