Urgent work to help the fishing industry cope with rising fuel prices gathered pace at the first meeting of the Fuel Task Force, last Friday.
The Fuel Task Force, part of the Scottish Government's five-point action plan to combat the impact of fuel costs on fishermen, met for the first time in Edinburgh.
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead said:
"We need to do all we can to ensure the renewed confidence that has developed in the fishing industry over the past year is not completely undone by increased fuel prices.
"That's why I recently announced an action plan to help the industry cope. As well as making money available immediately for non-fuel costs, I also established the Fuel Task Force to look at what else can be done in the short and medium term to give the sector a profitable and sustainable future.
"I expect the Fuel Task Force to identify actions not only for the Scottish Government but also for the UK Government, which has the ability to reduce fuel costs, and for Europe."
He also said that he will be meeting with the Task Force chairman, James Brown, this week to find out what issues were discussed at the first meeting and to share thoughts about the way forward.
