NFFO welcomes Government support to storm-hit fishermen

Funding will be made available towards the cost of replacing
lost or damaged fishing gear, such as crab and lobster pots and other static
gear, which could be worth up to £5,000 to fishermen.

The Government will also continue to pay lighthouse dues for
another year, saving the industry up to £140,000.

This is in addition to measures already promised, such as:

• Flexibility on quota allocations to allow
  fishermen to make up lost income when conditions return to normal
• Access to a £10 million business support grant
  for flood-affected businesses.

NFFO Chairman, Paul Trebilcock, welcomed the support being
offered by the Government, saying: “This is an important gesture of
support to fishermen right across the fleet who have been badly affected by the
exceptional series of winter storms.

“The gear replacement support scheme will help badly
affected fishing businesses to get on their feet, especially in the inshore
fleet where the losses have been highest. The Fishermen’s Mission has done a
sterling job in helping fishermen facing an immediate financial crisis because
of loss of earnings and the additional support from DEFRA will be welcomed.

“There are other elements in this package that are also
valuable. The suspension of light dues and quota flexibilities will be of help.

“The over-15m crabbers will also be able to recover their
gear without posing days at sea entitlement.”

Fisheries Minister, George Eustice, said:

“The appalling storms over the last few months have had a
severe impact on fishing communities and we recognise that many fishermen have
lost static gear such as lobster and crab pots.

“I
saw first-hand the damage to net gear during a recent visit to Newlyn. We have
made this funding available to minimise the impact on their livelihoods and
help them to get back on their feet as quickly as possible.”