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Thursday, 14 April 2022

MPs to look at new fund for fishing and seafood sector.

 

Reform, modernise, grow, ensure, encourage, enable.....


The House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee is to hold an inquiry into a government scheme to promote the long-term future and sustainability of the fisheries and seafood sector – known as the UK Seafood Fund.

Inquiry: UK Seafood Fund

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee 

The £100m fund is in addition to other UK funding that has replaced EU funding for the sector following Brexit.

The government has said the objectives of the UK Seafood Fund are to:

  • reform and modernise infrastructure in order to ‘level up’ - and bring economic growth to - coastal communities; 
  • ensure the best science, research and technology is used in fisheries management; 
  • encourage new entrants to the industry, while upskilling current members; and 
  • enable an environmentally sustainable fishing industry. 

There will be three funding streams within the UK Seafood Fund: Science & Innovation; Infrastructure; and Skills & Training. There will also be a £1m fund to help access external markets.

Among the issues the EFRA inquiry will look at will be:

  • how the Seafood Fund will meet the Prime Minister’s commitment to modernise fishing fleets and the fish processing industry; 
  • if the fund will promote economic growth in coastal communities; 
  • what science and innovation development the fund should prioritise; 
  • and how the fund should be used to improve the environmental sustainability of the fishing industry. 

For more information about the inquiry, please click here

The Committee welcomes written evidence about the Seafood Fund from people engaged in the fishing and seafood sector, those living in or representing coastal communities, expert commentators, and others. 

For further information on how to submit written information to us, and how we then use that information, please click here

The closing date for submissions is Tuesday 10 May at 23:59.

Other information will be sought by the Committee through inviting witnesses to our oral evidence sessions held in Parliament’s Committee Rooms. In general, most evidence sessions are held in public, are announced in advance and can be watched on parliamentlive.tv