Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS) funding panel dates announced for 2023

The Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS) offers grant funding to support food producers across the catching, processing, and aquaculture sectors in England. Focused on helping projects that will boost business resilience and increase sustainability across our world-class fishing industry, this phase of the scheme offers £18 million of funding until March 2025.

Since the relaunch of FaSS earlier this year, over £5 million of funding has been approved by Marine Management Organisation (MMO), supporting over 300 seafood and marine businesses, charities and other organisations in a number of ways, for example: health and safety improvements, business diversification and new forms of income, as well as supporting cooperative activities and advisory services.

The scheme can also support industry through funding projects related to the conservation and restoration of the marine environment, achieving net zero through reducing emissions, and aid participation in co-design and co-management in the sector.

While the scheme is open throughout the year for applications from smaller projects, any projects with a total cost of £150,000 (or more) are considered by a panel. Applications to be considered at these panels should be completed and submitted by the following dates:

Michelle Willis, MMO’s Director of Finance & Resources, said: “Since the launch of FaSS, we have seen an excellent uptake in the number of applications submitted and funded. Amongst the most popular have been health and safety and projects relating to shore-based infrastructure.

“Our Grants Team is there to support our fishing industry and I urge any potential applicants to contact them to talk through any questions they might have about FaSS.”

Contact the MMO grants team to discuss any potential panel application by calling 0208 026 5539 or emailing FaSS.queries@marinemanagement.org.uk.

For guidance and information on how to make an application, visit the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme section of the MMO webpages.