NFFO KEEPS PRESSURE ON FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT

NFFO keeps pressure on for financial support. The NFFO has written again to Secretary of State, George Eustice and Fisheries Minister, Victoria Prentis, for a second tranche of financial support for fishing businesses which are struggling to survive. Below is a letter from NFFO Chief Executive, Barrie Deas:

Dear Secretary of State and Fisheries Minister

I wrote to you on 01 February, 2021, making the case for a further tranche of financial support for the fleets in England who are facing multiple challenges.

I am writing again to press you on this matter because things in our sector are getting worse rather than better. The combined effects of Covid-19 lockdown and impediments to the export of fish and shellfish, along with low levels of resilience are putting a great strain on the viability of many fishing businesses. The purpose of the first tranche of financial support was to ensure that we have viable fishing businesses when these troubles recede. In that regard, nothing has changed.

We would therefore urge you to make the necessary approaches to the Treasure for the support that our sector desperately needs.

As an industry we have no desire to be reliant on subsidies and consider self-reliance to be a virtue. These are, however, exceptional circumstances and I must ask you to treat this as a matter of urgency.

Yours sincerely

Barrie Deas

Chief Executive

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