Environment Secretary Michael Gove has committed that the Government will put in place new, domestic, long-term arrangements to support the UK’s fishing industry from 2021, through the creation of four new schemes comparable to the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) to deliver funding for each nation.
The new schemes will be introduced after EMFF has closed in 2020. Details of these will be set at the 2019 Spending Review. In England, the scheme will among other things :
- improve port infrastructure – so more fish can be landed in UK ports, and help the sector take advantage of new export opportunities after exit; and
- boost coastal communities – by providing benefits to areas that depend on a vibrant and profitable industry.
Both these aspects could potentially help improve coastal and maritime heritage.