STOP PRESS - £5.25 million grants boost for English fishing industry
5.25 million in grants has been awarded to the English fishing industry from the European Fisheries Fund.
The largest single grant was £2.3 million for a new fish market in Newlyn, Cornwall. It is subject to assurances from the new Newlyn Harbour Commissioners who are expected to be appointed before Easter.
The new Harbour Commissioners will need to provide assurances that they
are content with the project – particularly the match funding required.
Two previous Newlyn applications had been rejected due to problems with
the industry’s views, the match funding of the project, and the
governance of the harbour. Sufficient progress has been made to allow a
provisional grant offer to be made.
In total 11 grant applications were approved by the English EFF panel,
chaired by the Marine and Fisheries Agency which met on February 17.
Total grant aid, match funding and other investment in the 11 projects
represents an estimated £12.6 million investment for the English fishing
industry.
Grimsby will benefit from £1.75 million grant aid for fish market
improvement and processing facilities.
Other significant grants: Withernsea, East Riding, Yorkshire gets
£296,000 for a new slipway; the port of Newhaven £165,000 for new
landing stages; Plymouth £79,000 for electronic auction improvements.
Projects studying selectivity of crab pots and the state of sardine and
anchovy stocks in the Celtic Sea were also successful.
Click here to listen to the BBC Radio Cornwall Report
Click here to view the press release with the full list of successful grant applications.