The Fishmongers’ Company has donated £100,000 to enable fishermen in the south west of England who were badly affected by severe storms earlier this year to replace lost gear and start fishing again, reports Andrew Martin.
The grant, which will have all been used up by the end of July, was paid to individuals on the understanding that it was to be used only to buy replacement gear - not for anything else.
A broad maximum of £5000 per fisherman was set. However, the Fishmongers’ Company allowed the Fishermen’s Mission, which was responsible for distributing the funds through three charitable Community Foundations, to have the final say in how much was given.
“It is up to the mission, in conjunction with the Community Foundations, to ensure that the money goes where it is needed,” said Colin Boag, the Fishmonger’s Company Clerk (CEO).
The Company decided to concentrate on the south west of England because it could then get money to fishermen there quickly.
“It is an area with a large inshore fishing industry,” Colin Boag said, “and it [the grant] was more likely to have an effect there than distributing the sum widely across the country. We realise that other areas of the coast were badly affected, but it seemed to be the best thing to do.
“We are hoping to strike a reasonable balance between helping as many fishermen as possible and having a practical effect. It’s not about taking people back to the position they were in before the storms, but about getting people back to sea and helping families get back on their feet.”
