Cabinet Secretary Announces Support To Help Welsh Fishermen Access Millions Of Pounds Of European Funding

Wales’ fishermen and coastal communities will be able to access £60,000 of Welsh Government funding to help them make applications for millions of pounds of European funding, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths has announced. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) is the European fund established to provide support for adapting to the Common Fisheries Policy, including control and enforcement and data collection obligations. EMFF supports sustainable development within the fishing and aquaculture sectors and the conservation of the marine environment, alongside supporting growth and jobs in coastal communities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In order to support small fisheries businesses through the application process the Cabinet Secretary has made additional funds available. Each small business who is interested in applying for EMFF funding will be able to access up to a maximum of £3,000 to pay an advisor of their choice to help them develop their ideas into fundable projects. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Cabinet Secretary said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund is worth between £14m – £16m to fishing and aquaculture industries in Wales. It goes a long way in helping us achieve our objective to develop a vibrant, competitive and sustainable fishing sector. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The outcome of the EU referendum last year and the subsequent guarantee by the Treasury to honour commitments made until the UK leaves the EU, means it is important Wales maximises the take up of this fund. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I have, therefore, decided to make funds available from my budget to provide support to small fisheries businesses considering making an application for EMFF funding. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“There are many good ideas for projects, however we do not have the luxury of taking a year to turn those ideas into fundable projects. This support will be focused on doing just that. Ensuring the project applications which come forward are ready to hit the ground running and do not remain just great ideas”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​