Fraserburgh Harbour, a premier nephrops and fishing port, is continuing a major upgrade of its fishmarket facilities, following the award of two significant grants.
A £490,000 grant awarded in 2024 by the UK Seafood Fund’s Infrastructure scheme has enabled a comprehensive refurbishment of the fishmarket's physical facilities. The recently completed project has enhanced hygiene, welfare, and security standards, benefiting buyers, auctioneers, and Harbour staff alike. A key component of the upgrade was the modernisation of the fishmarket's IT infrastructure, enabling the introduction of an e-auction system at the Harbour.
Building on this, the Marine Directorate awarded Fraserburgh Harbour a further £367,000 in November of this year to support digitisation of its Fish Auction, ensuring the Harbour remains at the forefront of innovation and efficiency in the fishing sector.
Discussing the impact of an e-auction at Fraserburgh, Mike Park, chief executive of the SWFPA said: “Ports like Fraserburgh must adapt to meet modern demands, and the Harbour’s fishmarket development project clearly reflects its forward-looking approach. The work undertaken to upgrade these facilities is well received and it is positive to see the Harbour’s aims being advanced via government support.”
Benefits to the fishing industry and town have been the catalyst behind both projects, as harbour development manager Pamela Neri explains: “Our objective is to safeguard and support Fraserburgh’s fishing industry - our cultural heritage – and these projects will positively impact stakeholders who are reliant upon landing in Fraserburgh. These range from all vessels which choose to land at Fraserburgh and the local auctioneers, to our vessel repair and maintenance cluster which services the boats landing here.”
Jonathan West, manager of Westward Fishing Company added: “Fraserburgh’s fishing sector operates within a broader context of industry change, and the move to implement an e-auction at the Harbour is consistent with these developments. We look forward to working with all stakeholders to ensure the project is a success.”
David Cardno of Peter & J Johnstone Ltd concluded: “We are pleased to be working in conjunction with Fraserburgh Harbour and Westward Fishing to realise the shared objective of safeguarding Fraserburgh’s fishing industry. As one of the country’s leading fishing ports, it is vital that it continues to develop and provide the infrastructure needed by the fishermen of today and the generations to come.”