News / Port applies for EU funding for new fish market
LERWICK Port Authority (LPA) has applied for EU funding as its plans for building a new and larger fish market at Mair’s Quay continue to gain momentum.
LPA hopes to have the new fish market completed as soon as next year should financial assistance European Maritime and Fisheries Fund be made available.
Local civil engineering firm Tulloch Developments has already been granted an £800,000 contract to construct an access road and car parking for the new fish market.
That work will begin this month and is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.
LPA chief executive Sandra Laurenson, meanwhile, hailed the completion of the port’s new £16.5 million Holmsgarth North quay in late 2016 as a “major step forward” in its development programme.
The structure will be officially named Mair’s Pier at a ceremony this summer.
“We support the fishing industry in various ways and take a long term view on infrastructure investment to support our strategic location,” Laurenson said.
“Situated in the heart of rich fishing grounds with abundant healthy stocks, we need to complement industry reinvestment in local vessels and in onshore processing where there is a positive future.
“The authority’s next milestone project is the anticipated replacement fish market and this will be the catalyst for making Holmsgarth and Mair’s Quay the new fishing hub in Lerwick, used by both the white fish and pelagic sectors.”
Meanwhile in other port news the Bibby Stockholm floatel is set to leave Lerwick’s Morrison Dock this week after first arriving in the town in 2013 to house construction workers who were building the Shetland Gas Plant.
The last remaining accommodation barge is said to have been unoccupied except for its caretaker barge master for the last 15 months and it is expected to leave Shetland on Wednesday.
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