Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

UK Fishing Industry

Thursday 17 June 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • UK fishing industry has faced significant challenges over the past 18 months
  • Sector support worth 32.7 million is available for the seafood sector this year
  • An additional 100 million is available to help rejuvenate the UK fishing industry

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Chris Loder
Business & Trade Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The seafood sector has faced significant challenges over the past 18 months, particularly with hospitality closures and adapting to new export requirements. There is a need for support measures to aid recovery.

Question

What steps he is taking to support the UK fishing industry. The seafood sector has faced significant challenges over the past 18 months, but there is now an opportunity as hospitality opens up again and we adapt to new export requirements. Sector support worth £32.7 million is available this year.

Answer from Victoria Prentis

The seafood sector has faced significant challenges over the past 18 months, but the situation is now improving as hospitality opens up and we adapt to new export requirements. Sector support worth £32.7 million is available this year, plus an additional £100 million to help rejuvenate the industry and our coastal communities.

Answered
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Q2 Chris Loder
Business & Trade Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

A report by Seafarers UK found that many small-scale fishermen had few savings and reduced financial resilience before the pandemic. Many have fallen through the gaps of Government funding due to changing vessels or low earnings in 2019.

Question

Seafarers UK conducted a report in 2019 that found that most small-scale fishermen often had few savings and reduced financial resilience even before covid, and many have fallen through the gaps of Government funding because they either changed vessels or because their fishing opportunities and earnings in 2019 were not enough to reach the threshold for the fisheries response fund. What steps can the Minister take to address this issue and to support the small fishing boats in my constituency in Lyme Bay?

Answer from Victoria Prentis

That excellent report, which I was very pleased to provide a foreword to, highlights that small-scale fishermen face not only financial challenges but social pressures. The report's recommendations point to where industry and the Government might tackle these challenges together, and we are currently considering these in more detail.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific steps or commitments to address the financial challenges of small-scale fishermen who have fallen through funding gaps were not detailed.

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