The Domestic Seafood Supply Scheme was set up in April to help fund projects that will increase the sale and consumption of locally caught seafood. It was a competitive scheme, judged by an independent panel of fishing industry, government and Marine Management Organisation representatives.
The panel has now approved a total of 20 projects that have the potential to deliver significant collective benefits for the seafood industry in England.
The panel has awarded funding to businesses based across the country who submitted a range of innovative ideas to support their local fishing and seafood businesses get their products to market, including new processing operations, on-line auction and sales websites, and local transport solutions.
Projects were selected that could demonstrate they brought the greatest benefit to the industry as a whole, working across communities and regions, or with partners.
Eight projects in Cornwall have been funded, including two in the constituency.
Cornwall
- W Stevensons and Sons Ltd (based in Newlyn) (http://newlynfreshfish.co.uk/) (Newlyn fish market electronic auction and national marketing programme) (government announcement says ‘Newlyn Fish Market was awarded funding to create an electronic, cloud-based auction platform meaning local buyers can continue to ‘attend’ auctions and purchase catches’) – £100,000
- Silver Dawn Fishing Ltd (based in Newlyn) (Establishment of new supply chains through diversification of fishing company into processing and sales) (they are creating a start-up called Cornwall Fish Direct, selling fresh, sustainably-caught filleted Cornish fish) – £100,000
- Bluesail Fish (based in Looe) (http://bluesailfish.com/en/) (Looe Live Tanks Project) – £70,989
- Fish for Thought (based in Bodmin) (www.fishforthought.co.uk) (Project Cornwall 2020) – £60,864
- Murt’s Shellfish (based in Padstow) (www.murtsshellfish.co.uk) (Shellfish and fish processing unit) – £33,217
- Pengelly’s Fishmongers (based in Looe) (http://pengellys.co.uk/old/) (Pengelly’s selling direct) – £24,500
- Palatine Fishing (based in St Ives) (Building a commercially sustainable local supply chain through refrigerated transport and distribution) – £20,080
- Wild Harbour (based in Hayle) (http://wildharbour.co.uk) (Online Retail Fish Box Scheme) – £4,136
