Coastal shellfish centre to open

The shellfish-holding centre has cost £400,000 to develop

A £400,000 centre to hold lobsters and crabs has been developed for North Yorkshire's fishing community.

The shellfish centre in Whitby has been built to house lobsters, velvet crabs and brown crabs at the correct temperatures after being caught.

The project, which opens on Friday, was funded by Yorkshire and Humber Seafood Group (YHSG). The Marine and Fisheries Agency allocated a grant of £172,000.

The co-operative is the second to open in Yorkshire, after one in Bridlington.

A spokesman for YHSG said: "This is an enormous boost for Whitby's fishing community."

The water-filled tanks, which can be viewed by the public, hold the shellfish at cool temperatures to keep them healthy for longer periods of time.

It will allow fishermen, for the first time, to build up their stock at periods of higher demand such as Christmas or before exporting them to continental markets in Spain and France .

Carl James, project manager, said: "We are delighted to have been able to support yet another project that sets the east coast apart as a leader in the industry."