Media Centre
Wednesday 15 February 2012
European Grant Boosts Joint Fishing and Oil and Gas Industry Safety Project
FLTC Services Limited (FLTCS), a subsidiary of U.K. Fisheries Offshore Oil and Gas Legacy Trust Fund Limited and a company that delivers information about oil and gas infrastructure to fishermen, confirmed today that it has secured a grant of up to £413,250 from the European Fisheries Fund and the Scottish Government to fund its unique FishSAFE Information Project.
Niall Scott, executive chairman of FLTCS, said: “We are very grateful to the European Fisheries Fund and the Scottish Ministers for their support of this project. This funding will help us to develop the FishSAFE Information Project, previously known as KIS-UKCS, which improves fishermen’s safety by providing them with detailed information on seabed structures and equipment related to oil and gas activities on the UK continental shelf (UKCS).
The FishSAFE Information Project is an excellent example of the co-operation and mutual support that exists between the oil and gas and fishing industries. FLTCS brings together representatives from The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations and Oil & Gas UK. Together with The Sea Fish Industry Authority, which will provide support services, these organisations have been responsible for the success of the KIS-UKCS programme which preceded the FishSAFE Information Project.
Mr Scott continued: “The information gathered will continue to be delivered via plotter systems on vessels. It is also deployed in FishSAFE units which fishing boats use to detect their position in relation to oil and gas related surface and subseastructures in UK waters. Fishing nets can become caught on these structures so their detection is instrumental in improving the safety of mariners.
“This funding will enable us to investigate how best to capture information on new offshore assets and decommissioned assets and to review the processes used to capture and disseminate information to fishermen. The funds will also support a two-year research and development project into the potential for providing similar data for other European Union member states and Norway.”
Ends
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