Fishermen, seafood businesses, and coastal communities can now apply for funding through the relaunched Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS), funded from the over £132 million committed to the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund over the next five years. The Fund aims to modernise the fishing and seafood sector, build resilience, and support coastal regeneration.
In England, the fund will operate as a multi‑year funding scheme, and will be allocated through the existing Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS) delivered by the Marine Management Organisation. The FaSS delivers investments to safeguard the long-term sustainability, resilience and prosperity of the seafood sector across England. It provides grants to support the Secretary of State’s key priorities for Defra by funding projects that contribute to:
- Creating a sustainable and resilient seafood sector
- Reducing emissions and waste from the seafood sector
- Cleaning up rivers, lakes and seas and supporting nature recovery
- Boosting regional and economic growth within the seafood sector
For projects valued under £250,000, you can apply at any time. For projects valued over £250,000, there are 3 competitive funding rounds that will be assessed by a panel.
Funding rounds will cover the following areas:
- labour and workforce development
- community partnerships (including local trials)
- portside infrastructure
Apply by:
- 1 May 2026, for panel 1
- 12 June 2026, for panel 2
- 5 September 2026, for panel 3
Find out how to apply through the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme.
