The government has announced the launch of its £360m Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund.
The fund will invest in new technology and equipment to modernise Britain’s fishing fleet, deliver training and skills to back the next generation of fishers, and promote the seafood sector to export.
The government has said it will work with the industry to target investment where it matters most.
The investment comes alongside a new 12-year fisheries access agreement with the EU, which it said would secure long-term certainty for UK fishing fleets. As part of the agreement, there is no reduction in British quota or increase in the quota the EU is allowed to catch.
“The agreement reached today protects Britain’s fishing access, fishing rights and fishing areas with no increase in the amount of fish EU vessels can catch in British waters,” said Defra secretary Steve Reed.
“The government is backing coastal communities by investing £360m into our fishing industry, securing the future for the next generation of fishers and breathing new life into our coastal communities as part of the Plan for Change.”
It has also secured a new SPS agreement designed to cut red tape for UK seafood exporters and businesses and reopen the EU market to GB shellfish from certain domestic waters.
It said this would make it easier to sell British fish to our largest trading partner, which would help to drive growth.
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