People working within the fishing sector across Cornwall are being urged to take advantage of the new European Maritime Fisheries Fund.
The fund, launched by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) last month, has around £71 million allocated to
England to fund fisheries projects including improving health and safety on fishing vessels, improving the
added value or quality of fish caught including use of unwanted catches; investments in Fishing ports,
landing sites, auction halls and shelters; processing of fishery and aquaculture products; and investments in
aquaculture.
Alison Elvey, grants consultant at Robinson Reed Layton, said: "It’s vital, as Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have a rich fishing and aquaculture heritage, that the region maximises the funding opportunities and receives its fair share of the grants on offer. In coastal areas across the region fishing is significantly important to local employment, both directly through the fisheries sector, and indirectly, with its links to tourism and reputation for excellent seafood.
“The size of grants range varies widely from £200 for small scale projects to £1,000,000 for port
infrastructure, so it's best to check the guidance, or ask an expert, to find out how much grant you can apply
for before developing your project. Grant rates range from 30 per cent to 100 per cent although typically private sector projects will be able to apply at 50 per cent.”
The MMO is encouraging applicants to submit an expression of interest to check if projects are eligible for funding and further guidance can be found on its website.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here