Guidance

UK Seafood Fund: Fisheries Industry Science Partnerships scheme

Find out about funding through the Fisheries Industry Science Partnerships (FISP) scheme.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 11 September 2021
• Last updated: 20 July 2023 — See all updates

Applications for the Fisheries Industry Science Partnerships (FISP) scheme have closed. Defra currently has no plans to open any further rounds.

The FISP scheme is part of the UK Seafood Fund.

The FISP scheme will improve and share knowledge of fisheries and aquaculture by funding data collection and research to support sustainable fisheries management.

The FISP scheme and the Seafood Innovation Fund share the £24 million of funding allocated to the science and innovation part of the UK Seafood Fund.

All FISP projects must be a partnership between a member of the UK seafood industry and a research organisation.

Contracts are delivering research projects through FISP with up to £500,000 a year in funding. All projects will complete by March 2025.

Find out about projects that have been awarded FISP funding.

Published 11 September 2021
Last updated 20 July 2023 + show all updates

1. 20 July 2023

   Applications for the Fisheries Industry Science Partnerships (FISP) scheme have closed. Defra currently has no plans to open any further rounds.

2. 23 January 2023

   The fourth round of bidding for the FISP scheme has now closed.

3. 6 December 2022

   You can now apply for a contract through FISP until midday on 19 January 2023.

4. 23 November 2022

   Defra plans to open a final round of bidding from week beginning 5 December 2022 until midday on 19 January 2023.

5. 15 November 2022

   The final round of bidding for the FISP scheme will open in late 2022.

6. 8 September 2022

   The FISP scheme is closed for applications until 21st November 2022.

7. 9 August 2022

   Removed section on question and answer session which has now passed.

8. 3 August 2022

   You can now apply for a contract through FISP until midday on 5 September 2022. We've also added more guidance on how to get help with your application.

9. 6 July 2022

   Edited the section ‘About the FISP scheme’: contracts of up to £500,000 a year are available for full research projects. Edited the section ‘Apply for FISP funding’: Defra plan to start another round to bid for a contract through FISP from 1 August 2022 until midday on 5 September 2022. A final round is planned from 21 November 2022 until late December 2022.

10. 20 May 2022

    Applications for a contract (FISP part B) closed on Monday 16 May 2022.

11. 23 March 2022

    Updated to clarify that the maximum funding awarded of £300,000 under FISP part B is for the full duration of the project.

12. 22 March 2022

    Updated with a link to apply for a contract to carry out a full research project (FISP part B).

13. 2 March 2022

    You can now apply for a grant to develop a research proposal (FISP part A). Also added information about when you can bid for a contract (FISP part B).

14. 18 February 2022

    Updated with a link to successful projects from the previous round, and a link to guidance on how to bid for government contracts. Applications for the next round will open on 2 March 2022.

15. 21 October 2021

    Updated to show the fund is open for bids and applications. Links to BRAVO are now live for users to either bid for a contract or apply for a grant.

16. 22 September 2021

    Added joining instructions for MS Teams pre-engagement event on 23 September

17. 11 September 2021

    First published.