The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Accolade for Anster chippy
AFife chippy which was the first to be accredited for serving sustainable seafood has retained the award for a 12th year.
The Anstruther Fish Bar and Restaurant became the world’s first Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fish and chip shop in April 2009 and has been cooking up sustainable seafood ever since.
Owner Alison Smith and her husband Robert previously ran a fish processing business, supplying hand-filleted haddock across the region. Fishing is in the blood for both of them.
Alison said: “Generations of both our families made their living in the fishing and related industries here in this wee corner of Fife, from the early 1700s right through to the present day.
“They worked hard to provide for their crews and their families, mainly as fishermen and fish curers but also as carters, coopers and herring girls.
“So I think we have always been aware of the need to protect our seas and oceans for future generations, not only here in Fife, but throughout the world.
“The biggest challenge we foresee in the protection of our oceans is education.
“As individuals, we can all do our own wee bit but most importantly we need to help raise awareness on a global scale that our oceans need protecting – now.”
The couple serve hake from a fishery off southwest Africa, which has been MSC certified for 16 years.
Loren Hiller, senior commercial officer at MSC, UK and Ireland, said the certification scheme was important to protect fish stocks.
She said: “This is a huge milestone for both Anstruther Fish Bar and Restaurant and the MSC.
“Anstruther was the first fish and chip shop to become MSC certified and it has played a vital role in serving customers with certified sustainable seafood for the last 12 years.
“Its ongoing commitment reinforces the importance of sustainable sourcing and protecting fish for future generations, and more fish and chip shops are now following in its footsteps.
“With MSC commissioned research showing that almost threequarters of seafood consumers believe we should only eat seafood from sustainable sources, there has never been a more important time to source from MSC certified sustainable fisheries.”
Farmers, crofters and land managers can apply for loans to cover half of the upfront costs associated with planting a new woodland scheme.
Scottish Forestry is offering loans to cover 50% of the initial costs associated with creating a new small-scale woodland scheme – including buying trees, ground preparation works or fencing – through the new Small Woodlands Loan Scheme.
The agency said the initiative, which works alongside its existing Forestry Grant Scheme, was designed to remove any cash-flow barriers to farmers and crofters considering planting trees on their land.
Both the grant and loan schemes are designed to support projects up to 20 hectares (49.5 acres).
Launching the loan scheme, Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said there was significant interest in tree planting from smaller woodland owners, farmers and crofters.
He said almost 200 of the 320 woodland creation schemes currently being funded by Scottish Forestry are smaller projects.
“I have listened carefully to feedback which has suggested that many smaller-scale land managers are worried about the upfront costs in getting trees in the ground,” said Mr Ewing.
“The new Small Woodlands Loan Scheme aims to help remedy this and give a helping hand to assist with the costs of starting project.”
The scheme was welcomed by Scottish Crofting Federation chairman, Donald Mackinnon, who said: “A grant is generous, but can be impossible to utilise without up-front funding.
“It is gratifying to see this element included in the woodland scheme, which crofters are keen to use.
“Crofters want to plant trees and contribute to the national targets that will help alleviate climate change. This will go a long way to helping that happen.”
Full details of the new loans initiative, which is linked directly to the capital grant operations element in a Forestry Grant Scheme project, are online at forestry.gov.scot a woodland