FISHERIES Research Services (FRS) and the Scottish Executive this afternoon ended speculation by confirming the intention to award a £4million contract, to Aberdeenshire yard Macduff Shipyards to build a new research vessel for FRS.

The fisheries research agency is now "following guidelines" to take the process forward to contract. The vessel will replace FRV Clupea, now 37 years old and currently based in Fraserburgh.

The new vessel, also to be based at Fraserburgh, will carry out inshore research, surveys and monitoring work to underpin advice given to government in relation to Scotland’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors. It will be equipped with a sophisticated range of winches, net drums and cranes to allow a wide range of fishing and environmental sampling operations to be carried out, and will be able to carry 15 personnel for up to 14 days. The new vessel will cost an estimated £4 million.

FRS Chief Executive, Robin Cook, confirmed that Macduff Shipyards has been selected to build the new vessel: “The replacement of Clupea is eagerly anticipated by the Agency and we look forward to having a modern inshore research vessel to help carry out our marine research programme. The new boat will allow FRS to continue undertaking a comprehensive programme of high quality research providing valuable scientific advice to government on fish stocks and the marine environment.”

Research ship cruises are central to fish stock assessment and to research into the marine environment. Fisheries Research Services currently has two research vessels: Clupea and Scotia.

The new vessel is to be designed as a research vessel suitable for fisheries research, single, twin, pelagic/demersal/trawling and scallop dredging, hydrographic sampling, surveying and camera work. The area of operation is to cover the whole coastline of the British Isles. The endurance is to be for a minimum of 14 days. The vessel is to have a minimum service life of 25 years.

The vessel is to be operated in all seasons – and to facilitate scientific operation the stability and sea keeping properties are to be optimised to provide a safe working platform in conditions up to Beaufort Force 6. Sea state 5-6.

The vessel is to be constructed with a transom stern, raked soft nose stem, bulbous bow, ballast keel, round bilge, and a ¾ length steel upperdeck. The vessel’s hull and upperdeck is to be constructed of steel and the wheelhouse is to be constructed of marine grade aluminium.The new vessel is due to be launched in September 2007.

Fisheries Research Services (FRS) provides expert scientific and technical advice on marine and freshwater fisheries, aquaculture and the protection of the aquatic environment.

An agency of the Scottish Executive Environmental and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD), FRS incorporates the FRS Marine Laboratory in Aberdeen, the FRS Freshwater Laboratory near Pitlochry and outstations throughout Scotland.

Earlier, the Scottish Executive refused to confirm whether the North-east of Scotland shipbuilder had landed the plum fisheries research vessel contract.

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