THE First Minister has announced hundreds of thousands of pounds in funding to help restore a Scottish town’s historic pier.
The pier in St Andrews, which dates back to the 17th century, was damaged by Storm Babet in 2023 and restoration work has since been undertaken but not completed.
On Monday, John Swinney (below) announced a total of £14 million of funding for coastal and island communities and marine industries across Scotland – which includes £364,844 for the historic pier. The money was awarded to the St Andrews Harbour Trust.
The funding also includes grants for private individuals to develop fishing businesses, for Aberdeenshire Council to set up a pilot scheme to test the potential for seaweed cultivation in the north east, and for efforts to tackle plastic pollution in Scottish seas.
A total of 67 projects have been awarded grants, including more than £1m allocated to equipment manufacturer Vonin for its new salmon farming service station in Kyleakin. The Scottish Government said the Vonin funding would initially create 15 new jobs.
Swinney announced the awards during a visit to Shetland on Monday, ahead of attending the Convention of the Highlands and Islands.
He said: “Our island and coastal communities and the marine industries based here make a huge contribution to Scotland – not just to our economy but also to our efforts to drive innovation and sustainability.
“I’m very pleased therefore to be here in Shetland to confirm these awards to a wide range of projects, all of which have demonstrated that they will help to drive innovation in the marine sector and help sustain coastal communities.
“Over the last four years, Marine Fund Scotland has supported hundreds of pioneering projects that are already contributing to building prosperity whilst at the same time protecting the planet.”
David Brown, Shetland regional manager at Cooke Scotland – which was given £374k for a water borne feeding system, said: “We are grateful for the grant assistance which will enable us to trial and develop a new waterborne feed delivery method where rural communities such as Shetland can continue feeding the world with premium Scottish salmon.
“The health and welfare of our fish is a top priority and the project aims to enhance their wellbeing by encouraging the salmon to feed lower down in the pens, minimising the impact from environmental challenges and wildlife, as well as reducing our energy consumption and ensuring the durability of our feed pipes.”
You can find details of all 67 grants on the Scottish Government website.
