560,000 Funding For English Fishing Industry

The funding, granted to 39 projects in England between June and October 2011, is being used towards a range of developments, including 15 fuel and safety improvement projects on vessels, 12 developments in fish processing and 12 projects which will benefit groups of people working in the industry.

Over 87,000 of the funding is being used towards fuel and safety projects on individual fishing vessels, including safety improvements on vessels in Essex and Scarborough and fitting new engines and associated equipment on boats in Cornwall and Devon.

Catherine Murphy, Programme Manager for the EFF in England said: UK fuel prices are some of the highest in Europe and their continuing increase is a major concern for the fishing fleet. Im pleased that were able to help with this by providing funding towards projects which deliver more fuel efficient working methods. Some of the projects weve recently funded will deliver reductions in fuel consumption and emissions by up to 20 per cent.

Under Axis three of the scheme, which supports common interest projects, over 214,000 was awarded. As a result of this funding refrigeration and ice provision in Whitby and Scarborough harbours is being improved, with around 34,000 being provided to Whitby Fish Sales Ltd towards the installation of new ice machines and a forklift truck. This has seen ice provision in Whitby relocated from the old ice plant on Pier Road, which is being disposed of by the local council due to its age.

Shaun Wood, chairman of Whitby Fish Sales said: The availability of ice is essential to keeping Whitby viable as a fishing port. Without this local and visiting vessels will simply go elsewhere. Weve been resorting to a number of methods to try and keep a supply of ice available despite the lack of equipment, including bringing it in by road from Grimsby, which is just not practical in the long term."

These grants are helping towards having two new ice machines in Whitby and two in Scarborough, meaning we can efficiently produce ice and make sure theres always some available where and when its needed."

We hope this support for the local fleet will have a positive effect on the towns too as the fishing industry is an integral part of their history and culture.

A total of around 264,000 was also awarded to processing companies through Axis two, of the scheme, including towards four projects in Devon and two in Grimsby.

For more information on the support available through the EFF see http://www.marinemanagement.org.uk/fisheries/funding/eff.htm or call 0300 123 1032.