Around £6 million in match funding is being made available to projects developing the catching, processing and aquaculture sectors, and those enhancing the marine environment, under the latest round of the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS).
Administered by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) on behalf of Defra, applicants can now apply for this year’s funding which will support the fishing industry in a variety of areas, including health and safety, processing, partnerships, research and diversification.
Funding will build on the £27 million already committed to more than 1300 projects.
‘Coastal groups affected by the recent closure of the pollock fishery are encouraged to seek advice from the MMO to see how they can boost growth through new opportunities and partnership working. We will provide additional support to the most sustainable parts of the fleet by expediting applications from under-10-metre pole and handline fishing vessels,’ said Paul Errington, MMO’s Acting Director of Finance and Resources.
Successful applicants will be able to invest in a range of activities such as health and safety equipment to continue to keep fishing crews safe, processing equipment to increase the value of seafood products, vessel modification to improve energy efficiency, innovation partnerships and support to diversify and create new forms of income.
‘We are delighted to continue to offer this valuable financial assistance to help strengthen England’s fishing community. FaSS has already enabled essential health and safety provisions for hundreds of fishers, helped businesses diversify their offering and helped amplify the voice and economic value of the fishing community,’ Paul Errington said.
‘MMO’s grants team will guide fishers throughout the application process. They can offer advice on initial plans, or review expressions of interest, before the submission of a full application. Our investments so far are already making a difference and we look forward to building on these successes.’
Support for Lyme Bay fishermen
Representing fishermen across four south-west fishing ports, Lyme Bay Fisherman’s Community Interest Company (CIC) has been supported through the FaSS scheme since November 2022. Funding made it popssible to develop a website, create a seafood trail, develop a school’s outreach programme to attract new recruits to the sector, and provide support to local businesses and shops through local scavenger hunts and engaging with regulators.
‘We are so grateful to MMO for their support in getting our CIC up and running. No one has done this before and MMO has been fantastic throughout our evolution to help make sure we get the support that was needed to turn the aspiration into a reality,’ said Lyme Bay Fisherman’s CIC Chief Executive Mandy Wolfe.
‘For those who follow our path, my advice is to put everything down on your lists, leave nothing off, and then work with MMO to create a successful bid. Their grants team provided us with help and advice, and while not everything we asked for was funded, we then understood why some aspects weren’t, and we discovered things we hadn’t thought of which could be.’
Funding is available for both new projects and existing projects who are already benefitting from the scheme. The MMO will accept applications from smaller projects throughout the year, while projects valued at £150,000 or more will need to be submitted in the spring to be reviewed by a panel.
