The value of fish landings is at a record high, having increased by 29% to £563 million in 2016, according to the latest statistics published by the Scottish Government. The increase was mainly driven by a 41% increase in the value of landings for pelagic fish like herring and mackerel.
STATEMENT on behalf of the Highlands and Islands Local Resilience Partnership. Following the announcement by the Prime Minister of the UK Terror Threat level being increased from 'Severe' to 'Critical' on Tuesday 23 May 2017, the multi-agency members of the Highlands and Islands Local Resilience Partnership met on Wednesday 24 May 2017.
The Thurso branch of Clydesdale Bank closed on Thursday 23 May 2017. This was one of 40 branch closures.
Overnight surfacing improvements worth £300,000 are due to get underway on the A9 Cromarty Bridge starting later this week. The improvements will involve resurfacing almost the full length of the A9 Cromarty Bridge with a high performance road surface, designed to make the bridge smoother for motorists and more resilient to harsh conditions.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (May, 24th) sold 294 store cattle. Bullocks (154) averaged 251.4p and sold to 339.4p per kg for a pen of 218kg Simmental crosses from Proncy Farm, Dornoch, and £1,200 gross for a 585kg Simmental cross from 87 Torrobole, Lairg.
The newly launched NKT purpose-built vessel left Abrdeen Harbour on Saturday in preparation for its maiden project to install two subsea power cables connecting Caithness to Moray. The NKT Victoria, which has just arrived following its maiden voyage from Sweden, is being used to lay 113km of high voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cable across the Moray Firth as part of Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks' £1.1bn Caithness-Moray transmission project.
Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) working in the aquaculture supply chain in the Highlands and Islands can now apply to a £1 million innovation fund, which has opened for applications. Announced in March the 30-month pilot programme, Accelerating Aquaculture Innovation (AAI), is led by HIE, and delivered in partnership with Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC).
Scotland experienced a 6% surge in visitors from overseas in 2016, new figures show. Statistics published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) today highlight an additional 155,000 overseas visits were made to Scotland last year compared with 2015, strongly supported by a rise in the number of tourists from North America.
New research has found that the general public is supportive of ambitious plans by the Scottish Government to restore Scotland's peatlands - which benefits water quality, wildlife and carbon storage. The large scale national survey was led by a team of researchers at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), the James Hutton Institute and the University of Leeds.
The Highland Council has elected Councillor Margaret Davidson as Council Leader at its meeting today, 18 May 2017. Councillor Alasdair Christie was elected Depute Leader and Councillor Bill Lobban was elected Convener of the Council.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (May, 17th) sold 103 pedigree and commercial Luing cattle at their ninth annual spring breeding sale sponsored by W & A Geddes and Harbro Ltd. Pedigree bulling heifers (74) averaged £1,519.52 and sold to 1,995gns (£1,900), twice for 25 month old heifers from Mr F Scott Renwick, Inverbroom Farm, Ullapool, to A & C Matheson, Upper Bogrow, Tain.
Four transformers that will play a vital role in the north of Scotland's future electricity network are set to make the final stage of their journey to Spittal substation, Achanarras, over the coming weeks. The transformers, which each weigh approximately 170 tonnes, have been delivered by sea from Sweden to Port of Scrabster where they are due to be loaded on to multi-axel trailers by specialist haulier Allelys, working on behalf of Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) and its lead contractor ABB.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (May, 16th) sold 10 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (5) averaged 211.0p (-3.7p) and sold to 219.0p per kg and £1,333.00 gross.
MFR Cash for Kids Charity Car Boot Sale is the latest recruit to be signed up by Highland Council Trading Standards to join the Real Deal scheme. The scheme was launched six years ago in a bid to stamp out the illegal trade in fake goods at markets and to ensure businesses are fully compliant with the relevant laws.
The Highland Council is reminding Non-Domestic Rates (NDR) customers of the various reliefs available. NDR is also known as Business Rates.
Footfall in Scotland grew by 3.2 per cent in April, the third fastest growth rate of all the nations/regions and the fastest growth in Scotland itself since July 2014. This rate was well above the three-month average of 1.8 per cent, the highest three-month average in Scotland since September 2014, and the 12-month average, which was flat.
A Highlands and Islands MSP is questioning why the Scottish Government is taking so long to settle a long-running dispute over fair pay. Labour's Rhoda Grant asked Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham what action it was taking in light of Marine Scotland seafarers' recent vote in favour of industrial action over pay.
A new centre of excellence for testing emerging technologies in the subsea sector is to be established with support from Scottish Enterprise, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced today. Balmoral Offshore Engineering, based in Aberdeen, is creating a new open access hyperbaric pressure testing facility for the oil and gas supply chain, and specifically for the subsea sector.
Impact on Scotland. There have been no further reported problems with NHS systems in Scotland following the global cyber-attack, Health Secretary Shona Robison has confirmed.
Phase 1 - Review of Openness & Transparency. HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland Derek Penman has today published his terms of reference for phase 1 of the thematic Inspection of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA).
