Whats new:

Seafish and Seafood Scotland, 2008-11 Following the agreement of a new Memorandum of Understanding between Seafood Scotland and Seafish, Seafood Scotland will now act as the official delivery partner for Seafish in Scotland. In return Seafish have committed to provide a three-year support package with a value of approximately £1M that includes the provision of five seconded staff (three further staff in addition to the two already seconded) and administrative support (office space, accounts support and associated services). One of the new Seafish secondments will be a Training Advisor who will have the main responsibility of working with the GTA network to maximise the availability of training available to all sectors across Scotland and to help address other areas of urgent need such as recruitment and retention. It is hoped that the new Advisor will be in post within the next few months.

For further information please contact Libby Woodhatch: libby@seafoodscotland.org

Seafood Scotland’s Support for the Processing Sector
With EFF now finally “live” Seafood Scotland has been able to push forward its programme of activities for the seafood supply chain, including the processing sector. Projects starting within the next month include a value-added programme that will provide product improvement and NPD advice and hands-on support to ensure that the sector is able to respond to market changes and increase its competitiveness and profitability. This will primarily be achieved through the provision of specialist advice from an external consultant. Apart from NPD development and project management the project will also focus on gap analysis and category management, skills gap analysis and outward missions and learning journeys. This project is funded by EFF, SE, HIE and Aberdeenshire Council.

General business development advice and support is also available to all seafood companies in Scotland through Seafood Scotland’s Business Development Programme.

If your company would like to participate in these projects please contact Seafood Scotland’s Business Development Manager, Anne Moseley, anne@seafoodscotland.org telephone 07779 291364

Going Green
The need for the seafood industry to prove its green credentials, especially from a responsible sourcing point of view, has never been as high up the agenda as it is now. Seafood Scotland has worked with a number of environmental NGOs and green groups in recent years to make sure they are better informed about the realities of the seafood industry and to also bridge any divide that may have previously existed. The organisation also acts as secretariat for a number of industry groupings that are moving forward with MSC accreditation for key commercial fisheries in Scotland. However, there is still a great deal of work to be done, especially as the green lobby grows in strength within many of Scotland’s key export markets. In recognition of this Jess Sparks, Seafood Scotland’s Technical Manager, has also taken on a more formal environmental role and become the new Technical & Environmental Manager with the responsibility of overseeing a three-year Environmental Programme for the Scottish seafood sector. This programme includes the further development of Seafood Scotland’s responsible sourcing website that gives up-to-date information on fishing methods and their impacts, stock advice, and environmental initiatives undertaken by industry to provide buyers with the information they now require to make sound environmental buying decisions. The site is currently available in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German & Russian. Please visit www.seafoodscotland.org to view the site.

For further information on Seafood Scotland’s Environmental Programme please contact Jess Sparks: jess@seafoodscotland.org 07876 035 753.
Scottish Seafish Training Association
Following over a year’s worth of discussion and consultation between Improve Ltd., Seafish Industry Authority and many businesses active within the fish and shellfish processing industry (including those represented on the Seafood Processors Training Advisory Group); a new set of National Occupational Standards (NOS) have been approved for the highly important fish sector in Scotland and the UK.

These will form a valuable resource for the sector and can help businesses develop job descriptions, carry out performance reviews as well as identifying skills/needs confirming competence in their staff for a range of tasks.

However, they are also used to inform qualification development and Scottish Qualifications Authority are looking at the likely demand for a fish pathway to add to the Food Manufacture suite of Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ’s). Improve Ltd would be very interested in any expressions of interest from businesses who would consider this route for their staff.

On a completely different matter, the UK Border & Immigration Agency, part of the Home Office, has just brought in a new system of granting visas to businesses looking to attract staff from beyond the European Union. Previously businesses could obtain visas under one of the Sector Based Schemes for people from places like China, Taiwan and the Philippines who had the skills necessary to work in the Food & Drink industry. This scheme has expired and a new set of criteria put in place meaning that only people who have a qualification or experience of working in a job which is at least equivalent to a Level III SVQ can be considered under the new Tier 2 category for Skilled Workers.

A number of fish processors in Aberdeenshire, primarily working with pelagic fish, have found it virtually impossible to bring in the types of people that they had previously been able to bring in to the country to fill the vacancies for which they were unable to find the right calibre of local employees.

Through working with these companies, and in conjunction with the Scottish Government, a number of specific job occupations have been added to the Occupation Shortage List for Scotland. This should mean that if companies are recruiting for these types of roles and can demonstrate that they have been unable to fill these from local, UK or European Union then it should make it possible to recruit from out with this area if they can show that the individuals have a Level III or equivalent qualification or at least three years experience gained in a similar role then a visa could be obtained.