Newspaper column 25 February 2021 - More support for fishermen and shellfish businesses

Our fishing and shellfish industries are facing a particularly difficult time at the moment, with export issues with the EU following Brexit as well as market issues at home due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

I have been in discussion with local fishermen and shellfish businesses about their concerns and how we can address and support them, and have raised these issues in Parliament, both in the Chamber and in subsequent meetings with the Secretary of State for the Environment, neighbouring MP George Eustice and his Ministerial team at DEFRA.

Over the weekend I was pleased to see the Government respond and announce enhanced financial support for the seafood industry with cash grants for fishing and shellfish aquaculture businesses across the UK.

In January, the Government made available the £23 million Seafood Response Fund for seafood exporters that suffered a financial loss because of delays related to the export of fresh or live fish and shellfish to the EU during January 2021.

Although this was welcome, I immediately called on the Government to expand the scheme, as only exporters and not catchers were initially able to apply.

Having listened to concerns from fishing businesses across the UK, Defra will now be expanding the eligibility criteria to target catching and shellfish aquaculture businesses which have been affected by a reduction in demand from the hospitality sector in the UK and abroad, as well as disruption of exports to the EU. These expanded criteria will mean more businesses can get the support they need.

The scheme, which is similar to last year’s Fisheries Response Fund set up in response to the coronavirus pandemic, will open in early March, be administered by the Marine Management Organisation, and  rovide a grant payment to cover up to three months of average business fixed costs incurred between January and March 2021. It will help catching and shellfish aquaculture businesses with costs such as insurance, equipment hire and port fees.

In addition to my previous conversations with DEFRA Ministers, this week I have also had or will be having meetings with Michael Gove and the Prime Minister to continue to press the case for a swift resolution

I will continue to push the Government to do all it can to resolve the issues with the EU around exports and also hope that our continued success with the Covid-19  vaccine rollout will allow lockdown measures to relax when it is safe to do so, as announced by the Prime Minister on Monday, and help reopen and boost the domestic hospitality market, providing more business for our fishermen and shellfish businesses closer to home.

As ever, if you need my assistance with anything then my team and I are here to help. Please get in touch with me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk , or by telephone on 01872 229698.