This week, the Government announced even more support for our local seafood sector through the UK Seafood Fund, with a further allocation to Grimsby and Cleethorpes fish processing companies in the second round of funding.
DEFRA, the Department for Food and Rural Affairs, awarded over £5.3 million to 3 companies in North East Lincolnshire. This comes less than a year after the first round of UK Seafood Fund allocations, which saw two Grimsby fish processing businesses receive £7.4 million between them.
In Grimsby, Fastnet Fish have been awarded £1,277,692 to increase their cold store capacity. A Fastnet spokesperson said: “We are delighted that Fastnet Fish has been successful in our bid to the UK Seafood Fund which will enable us to make significant improvements to our cold store. The developments will generate substantial energy reductions whilst increasing the capacity in our cold store which will create more jobs and reduce our carbon footprint due to less transportation requirements.
“We have not wasted any time in initiating the project. Work has started immediately which means that we will start to benefit from the impact of this important investment by December 2023.”
Also in Grimsby, Seafish Processing Ltd have been allocated £315,052, which will go towards refurbishing and expanding their processing facility. Managing director Matthew Taylor says the company are “hoping to take another building on and carry out some refurbishment work, which will secure more work in the future.”
Lia Nici, MP for Great Grimsby, said: “Once again, Government has shown its commitment to Grimsby’s fish processing sector. To receive over £12 million in the past 8 months to help businesses in their expansions evidences great support from DEFRA.
“We clearly have high demand in our area for fish processing, and Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer and I spoke regularly about the fund and how vital it was that Grimsby and Cleethorpes were supported in keeping up with demand in the industry. These expansions will also bring hundreds of local jobs.”
In Cleethorpes, New England Seafood International has been awarded £3,774,668 which will help the company to deliver a new processing facility as part of a larger £15 million expansion.
Martin Vickers, MP for Cleethorpes, said: “I am delighted that a seafood company in my constituency has been successful in its UK Seafood Fund bid. New England Seafood International will now be able to deliver a state-of-the-art processing facility in Grimsby.
“In fact, North East Lincolnshire successfully secured three of the 33 awards nationwide which will be warmly welcomed across the local industry. This, combined with recently announced government reforms, will ensure a thriving, sustainable fishing industry and healthy marine environment for generations to come.”
Last year, through the initial round of UK Seafood Fund allocations, Grimsby fish processing businesses HSH Coldstores and JCS Fish were awarded a combined total of £7.4 million to aid in their expansions. This, along with the most recent announcement, means that seafood companies in North East Lincolnshire have received over £12 million of support from the Government.
