Bob Seely MP has this week welcomed a £1million grant scheme designed to increase the supply of local seafood during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Domestic Seafood Supply Scheme – announced by DEFRA and the Marine Management Organisation – is designed to help seafood businesses adapt to changes in their markets caused by COVID-19 by funding changes to their businesses and/or infrastructure that will help them to sell their products domestically.
The scheme can be used to assist the industry to set up local and regional distribution such as plant and equipment to help with local fish processing, or assets that can be shared at port such as storage and refrigerated vans.
Fisheries Minister, Victoria Prentis, said:
“This new grant scheme, part of a £10 million lifeline for our fisheries sector, will help our fishing industry find new markets for their catch during this challenging time which has seen falling prices and a downturn in restaurant and export sales.
“With growing demand for meals at home we are also looking for innovative ways to help fishermen adapt and be equipped to sell direct to local consumers.
“Applications are invited from groups of businesses in the fishing, aquaculture and fish processing industries or individual businesses engaged in activities which support the seafood supply chain.”
Bob said:
“I welcome this support for our seafood businesses on the Island. Things have changed quickly for our local businesses in a very short space of time. This fund is there to help them adapt to those changes.
“I urge all businesses on the Island in the seafood industry to look at this funding pot to see if it can help them. I welcome any feedback.”
Applications for the new scheme, can be made until 11th May at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-seafood-supply-scheme-dsss-how-to-apply-for-project-funding.
As well as this financial support, qualifying seafood businesses may also qualify for other Government support. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has produced a guide to what is available: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/an-update-from-tom-mccormack-ceo-marine-management-organisation.
Would be great to see the fishermen sell DIRECT to the public here.
Too many shops selling fish charge a massive premium, paying those fishermen a pittance.
With fish markets abroad, we all see the fish is fresh, and has not been stored for days on ice, then just before turning being made into fish pie mix.
A great idea, but likely heavily opposed by greedy fish shop owners, so will likely never happen.
See it through Bob
They do. Blake’s in ventnor
True smithy, but we need more open market type sellers otherwise with only one owner in each location, then prices are not competitive as otherwise they might be.
A great family the Blake’s and always good seafood.
True
So yet another handout of tax payers’ money to commercial fishermen, in addition to all the other handouts that they have received over recent years. I suspect that hardly any member of the public realises that every time they purchase fish that a percentage of that is taken in special tax which is passed directly onto the fishing industry body “Seafish” whose purpose is to promote commercial fishing. From their web site “Our funding comes from a levy on the first sale of seafood products in the UK and we work at arm’s length from our joint sponsors, the four Fisheries Administrations.”In addition to that, commercial fishermen already receive additional grants for all sorts of things and have been given free life jackets. The UK commercial fishing industry continues to exploit fish stocks at a level above that which the scientists (ICES) says is sustainable. From the latest annual figures, UK commercial fishermen exceeded the recommended maximum catch by a staggering 11,500 tonnes and stocks continue to decline.
Shops supplying goods to the recreational fishing sector, which normally contributes vastly more to the national economy (money & job) than the commercial sector, are currently not able to trade, so I hope they will receive sufficient government support to allow them to at least survive post lockdown.