UK Environment Secretary, Theresa Villiers, has delivered a boost for the English fishing and seafood industry by opening applications for £15.4 million from two UK fishing funds.
English fishermen and those working in the seafood sector will be able to apply for a share of the new Maritime Fisheries Fund, which is designed to ensure the fishing and seafood industry continues to thrive following the UK’s exit from the EU.
Barrie Deas, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, said, “I would encourage all fishermen to look closely at this new fund to see if it can help their businesses adjust to the new circumstances we will be operating under as the UK emerges as an independent coastal state.”
The three year fund in England is open to applications that support innovation, improve port infrastructure, boost coastal communities, help the sector adjust and improve safety both on board and on shore.
This support is in addition to the existing European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The government has already guaranteed that all EMFF projects approved before 31 December 2020 will continue and, from 2021, has committed to four new schemes for each nation to replace the EMFF funding.
“We are committed to a thriving fishing and seafood industry, and this funding will support innovation, jobs, safety at sea and help establish new markets and opportunities as we leave the EU,” said Ms Villiers.
