The Fisheries and Seafood Scheme opened on 9th June 2025 with £6 million available. All projects must be finished and claimed by March 2026. Funding rates can vary from 50%-80% depending on the applicant and project type.

The Fishing Animateurs can work with you by phone, email, text or post whatever suits you. Don’t let paperwork or funding worries put you off. Even though the grant can cover up to 80% of costs, the process can take a few months. That’s where we come in.

We work with credit unions who can help bridge the funding gap between your offer letter and the final grant payment and they can also help you set up a regular savings account for your business.

The Fisheries and Seafood Scheme is managed by the MMO on behalf of Defra, whom we have no formal relationship with. We act as your agent throughout the process and do the paperwork on your behalf, taking the pain out of the process. At the Animateur project, we specialise in offering support to the under 10m fleet, and those who need help with the paperwork and IT skills required to complete an application. Our priority is safety improvement and adding value projects.

For information visit: www.fishinganimateur.co.uk/fisheries-and-seafood-scheme