This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/north_east/7547714.stm

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Fishing industry fuel help plea Fishing funding package announced
(1 day later)
Fishing leaders have renewed calls for help from the Scottish Government to alleviate the impact of fuel prices on the eve of a task force meeting. A multi-million pound funding package aimed at helping Scottish fishermen cope with high fuel bills has been announced.
Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead is set to make an announcement on Friday after the meeting in Aberdeen. Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead said the industry would get almost £29m over the next three years.
The Fuel Task Force was established to try to help the Scottish fleet. It is aimed at compensating fishermen who say fuel bills have doubled in the past year.
Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF) chief executive Bertie Armstrong said: "The easing of prices is welcome but we need maximum efficiency." The plan includes fuel efficiency measures and improving the marketing of Scottish seafood.
He explained: "We hope the fuel task force will be able to take forward these aims so that we can get on with our everyday work on ensuring stock sustainability. 'Crippling increase'
"We look to Richard Lochhead to provide the practical wherewithal to turn the vision of a commercially sustainable industry into reality." The European and Scottish funding was announced at a meeting of the Fuel Task Force in Aberdeen.
Mr Lochhead said: "The Scottish Government is determined to help the fishing industry adapt to high fuel costs and although we can't control the price of fuel, we will do what we can to help in other ways.
"The fishing industry has been particularly hard hit with the crippling increase in fuel prices. Fuel costs count for as much as half the earnings of boats and cannot be passed on.
"Through the Fuel Task Force we have worked closely with the industry to pull together the outline of a three-year plan of action that will help the fishing industry in Scotland adapt to cope with rising fuel costs."