British fishing and coastal communities will benefit from £360
million investment to drive growth and boost the sector for the
future as the Government launches its Fishing and Coastal Growth
Fund.
The Fund will invest in new technology and equipment to modernise
Britain's fishing fleet, deliver new training and skills to back
the next generation of fishers and promote the seafood sector to
export our high-quality produce across the world. The
government will work with the industry to target investment where
it matters most.
The investment comes alongside a new twelve-year fisheries access
agreement with the EU securing long-term certainty for British
fishing fleets. The deal protects Britain's fishing access,
fishing rights and fishing areas. As a result, there is no change
to current access for coastal communities and no reduction in
British quota or increase in the quota the EU is allowed to
catch.
The Government has also secured a new SPS Agreement that will
slash red tape for UK seafood exporters and businesses, and
reopen the EU market to GB shellfish from certain domestic
waters. This will make it easier to sell British fish to our
largest trading partner – in turn driving growth and removing
barriers to trade that have been holding businesses back.
Under new plans to be set out by the Government later this
week, coastal communities will receive a cash boost for new
community facilities, better transport links and investment in
apprenticeships. Proposals would see offshore wind farms required
to invest into coastal communities benefiting for families,
businesses and local community groups across the country.
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs,
said:
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.
The Government is backing coastal communities by investing £360
million 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.
Government and agencies to work with fishers to reform support to
meet safety regulations, supporting the sector to be more
prosperous and safe.
