It stands on the harbour front in Anstruther, Fife, and tells the story of fishing in Scotland from ancient times to the present day.

Now the Scottish Fisheries Museum is to be boosted with £67,000 of government funding.

The cash injection will help pay for new boilers and insulation as well as a lick of paint, and help repair the floating vessel 'Reaper'.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop announced the funding today on a visit to the museum.

She said: "With more than 7,000 miles of coastline and blessed with a bountiful marine larder, Scotland has been a great seafaring nation for generations. Fishing is an integral part of our country's rich heritage and the industry continues to play a vital role in our economy.

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"The Scottish Fisheries Museum tells the story of fishing in Scotland through the ages and houses a nationally recognised collection that includes historic boats, equipment, costumes and an extensive library and photo archive. We need to preserve this for future generations to learn about and enjoy.

"I am therefore delighted to see the improvements that this £60,000 award has enabled the Museum to make. I am confident that this will significantly enhance the Museum’s attractiveness to visitors in this, our Year of Creative Scotland."

Simon Hayhow, Director of the Scottish Fisheries Museum, said government funding was "vital" to keep the fishing heritage collection going.

He said: "As an independent trust and charity, it is costly to maintain a collection of over 70,000 artefacts, including 19 wooden boats, of which two are sea-going."

(NE)