Applications for £15.4 million from two UK fishing funds have been opened to deliver a boost from the English fishing and seafood industry.
The £14.7 million share of a £37.2 million UK-wide fund announced last December will encourage the take up of innovation and technology, supporting jobs in coastal communities.
In addition, £700,000 from a £2 million UK-wide fund announced in the 2018 Budget is ring-fenced for fishing safety improvements on board English vessels and around ports and harbours.
English fishermen and those working in the seafood sector can apply for a share of the new Maritime Fisheries Fund (MFF), which is designed to ensure the fishing and seafood industry continues to thrive post-Brexit.
The three-year fund builds on the government’s commitment to secure a fairer share of fishing opportunities for UK fishermen as it takes back control of fishing waters and establishes the UK as an independent coastal state.
“We are taking back control of our waters and establishing the UK as an independent coastal state, with a fairer share of fishing opportunities for the whole of the UK fleet,” Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers, launching the fund.
“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.
Barrie Deas, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, added: “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.”
