The Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) is open to organisations in the UK working on innovative, supply-chain and quality orientated projects that improve the seafood on offer to consumers in the UK and elsewhere.<\/p>\n
Phil MacMullen, head of strategic investment at Seafish, said: \u201cThe Strategic Investment Fund aims to provide us with a flexible, \u2018light touch\u2019 means of commissioning research and development, helping us to deliver the commitments we have set out over the next three years.\u201d<\/p>\n
The SIF will run in parallel with the recently published Seafish 2015-2018 Corporate Plan providing flexible investment for research and development in areas that support Seafish\u2019s objectives to promote consumption and enhance reputation and inform decision-making in the seafood industry.<\/p>\n
A total of \u00a3250,000 will be available annually for the next three years to support projects up to a maximum of \u00a375,000. The first call for proposals, which is open for application from 1 to 31 July 2015, is looking for projects that will improve supply-chain efficiency and reduce waste, the uptake of currently underutilised species and identify innovative solutions for maintaining the integrity of seafood products<\/p>\n
Applicants are invited to submit an initial short proposal before the 31 July deadline with all submissions reviewed and the preferred proposers invited to submit a more detailed bid. Proposals will be assessed on their value for money and return on investment as well as the relevance to current Seafish work, technical merit and success metrics.<\/p>\n