A scheme announced by the First Minister, Jack McConnell, will result in firms being handed back some of the money they pay in rates.

During a visit to Aberdeen Harbour, Mr McConnell said the Scottish Executive "understood" the challenges facing the fishing industry.

He said the new plan would offer rates relief of up to 100% to harbours and businesses dependent on white fish catches.

Areas covered Aberdeen Buckie Eyemouth Fraserburgh Kinlochbervie Lochinver Mallaig Peterhead Shetland Ullapool Wick

"The executive usually pays 75% of the cost of providing rates relief but... we will increase that to 95% with local authorities contributing the remaining costs," the first minister said.

"This is certainly no panacea but it will offer some welcome relief to our most hard-pressed communities at a difficult time."

The rules apply to all harbours whose landings value have a 20% dependency on white fish catches. Affected businesses with a rateable value not exceeding �50,000 will also be eligible to apply.

The scheme will run from 1 April for six months.

Existing package

Companies could already claim for rates-relief under an existing package but this has been rarely used because it was difficult to prove that hardship existed.

The rules were relaxed in the south of Scotland during the foot-and-mouth crisis.

The Scottish National Party's fisheries spokesman, Richard Lochhead, said: "We have been calling for a rates relief package for onshore firms affected by the crisis since the December deal in Brussels left many sectors hanging on by their fingertips."

It comes as Scottish fishermen's leaders are in Brussels for talks which they believe are vital to finding a long-term solution for the recovery of cod stocks.

Europe's fisheries ministers agreed temporary cod protection measures in December.

'Rough edges'

These have halved catches for Scotland's white fish fleet and stopped its vessels going to sea for more than 15 days a month.

Scottish Fishermen's Federation chief executive Hamish Morrison told BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme of the task ahead for fishermen.

He said there were three distinct phases. "There is the immediate task of getting the rough edges knocked off the days-at-sea scheme," he said.

"There is the medium position of trying to restructure the fleet and improve the balance of species we are allowed to catch.