Fisheries and Seafood Scheme: Panel Dates Announced
The Marine Management Organisation has confirmed the first panel dates for the re-launched Fisheries and Seafood Scheme and is inviting applications from the industry.
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is inviting applications for the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS).
The grant scheme – administered by MMO on behalf of Defra – was relaunched in April to help support the long-term sustainability, resilience, and prosperity of the seafood sector across England. It will deliver £6m per year in funding until April 2025, providing long term investment to the sector.
The new-look scheme builds on the success of FaSS, which first opened last year and supported more than 550 projects across a range of seafood and marine businesses, charities and other organisations.
Improvements this year include simplified guidance, enhanced levels of funding for micro-entities and funding that is better targeted at the sector’s needs.
The scheme will continue to match fund projects that boost business resilience and increase sustainability across our world-class fishing industry, further strengthening support for food producers across the catching, processing, and aquaculture sectors.
Applications with a total project cost of more than £150,000 must be considered by the FaSS panel, which is responsible for reviewing and recommending projects in line with the overall objectives of the scheme.
Michelle Willis, Director of Finance and Resources at MMO said: “Building on the success of year one, the relaunched FaSS has is already attracting a lot of interest from the industry and we are delighted to announce the first panel dates for applications with a total project cost of more than £150,000.
“The scheme aims to support the long-term sustainability and success of the seafood sector throughout England, and we encourage potential applicants to act now and get in touch, our Grants Team are here to support you through the process.”
The panels for 2022 are expected to take place week commencing 22 August and week commencing 28 November. Applications to be considered at these sessions should be completed and submitted to MMO by 1 July and 7 October respectively.
You can contact the MMO Grants Team on 0208 026 5539 to discuss any potential panel application or visit the MMO website for guidance and information on how to make an application.