Fisheries and Seafood Scheme for England Relaunched

The Fisheries and Seafood Scheme provides financial assistance for projects that support the development of the catching, processing and aquaculture sectors, and for projects that enhance the marine environment.

The scheme has recently been relaunched and will provide funding up to April 2025. The relaunch aims to deliver investment to safeguard the long-term sustainability, resilience and prosperity of the seafood sector across England.

Funding will be provided for a range of projects that deliver the following high-level outcomes:

• Creating a more sustainable and resilient sector.
• Boosting the demand for English seafood and accessing new markets.
• Improving participation through co-design and co-management.
• Achieving good environmental status through the conservation and restoration of the marine environment.
• Supporting net zero through reducing emissions within the industry.

Applicants whose businesses and/or vessels are registered in England may apply. To be eligible, the applicant must be one of the following:

• An individual or business engaged within commercial/recreational sea fishing, aquaculture or processing.
• A public body/local authority in a local community that has a focus on fishing/aquaculture activities (including trust ports and local authority ports, and public bodies, using funds for environmental improvements/management of fisheries).
• A university or research institute.
• A new entrant to the industry or unemployed individual that could benefit from knowledge/skills in fishing/aquaculture activities.

Funding levels will vary according to the activity being undertaken.

Currently, applications can be made at any time. New areas of the scheme will be opened for applications for a defined period of time through funding rounds. The dates of these funding rounds will be announced in due course.