Fisheries

Scottish Rural Action have launched a new rural manifesto ahead of the second Scottish Rural Parliament event.

The manifesto will be agreed at the Scottish Rural Parliament taking place in Brechin, Angus from 6 to 8 October. Around 400 people are expected to attend the event.

The manifesto has been created following a series of events across rural Scotland, and an online survey, with people sharing their views on the issues that matter the most to them.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing is to host a series of summits to drive forward the rural economy.

A series of events tailored to industries including forestry, agriculture and other sectors of food and drink will take place over the course of 2106 and early 2017. The first summit takes place on 1 September and will focus on the farmed shellfish industry.

Scottish Rural Action are recruiting volunteers to campaign on rural issues and facilitate workshops at the 2016 Scottish Rural Parliament event.

The Scottish Rural Parliament brings together people from communities and decision-makers from public bodies, NGOs and private bodies, with the aim of improving rural policy and finding better ways of providing services.

The installation of an artificial bowling green and a community hall refurbishment are the first two projects to benefit from funding from the Orkney LEADER 2014-2020 Programme.

The Kirkwall Bowling Club will install an artificial outdoor bowling green which will allow assurances of play irrespective of the weather, extending the playing season and increasing the opportunity for members and non-members to use the facility.

Businesses, organisations and communities in Orkney can now apply to the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.

This new pot of funding aimed at supporting fishing industries and communities is now open to applications in Orkney from fisheries and aquaculture businesses and organisations and fisheries-based communities.

Orkney has been allocated £482,000 by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and Scottish Government. Applications will be assessed by a local Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG).

Round 4 of the Coastal Communities Fund closes for stage one applications on 17 August.

The Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) encourages the economic development of UK coastal communities by giving funding to create sustainable economic growth and jobs.

The Big Lottery Fund is delivering the CCF on behalf of UK Government and the Devolved Administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Registration is now open for the Scottish Rural Parliament 2016 event.

The Scottish Rural Parliament will bring together 400 people to discuss the issues of greatest importance to rural communities in Scotland.

The event will be held in Brechin, Angus from 6 to 8 October and is free for most people to attend.

The community-led Lanarkshire LEADER Local Development Strategy has been launched.

The strategy sets out the priorities and objectives against which applications for funding will be assessed by the Lanarkshire LEADER Programme until 2020. A new development is the inclusion of part of the North Lanarkshire rural area to the south of Cumbernauld and east of Airdrie and Wishaw.

South Lanarkshire Council Provost, Councillor Eileen Logan unveiled the new strategy at Clydesdale Community Initiatives (CCI) in Lanark recently.

The Scottish Islands Federation (SIF) is pulling together a report on the challenges and opportunities that matter most to Scotland’s island communities and needs as many groups as possible to take part in its survey ‘Meeting the Challenges – Scotland’s Island Communities’.