Bolstered Fisheries Bill and £37m boost for UK fishing industry
Michael Gove today announced a strengthening of the law and new money to ensure the UK’s fishing industry prospers as we become an independent coastal state.

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Government will table an amendment to which will enshrine its commitment to secure a fairer share of fishing opportunities for UK fishermen.
»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp amendment would place a legal obligation on the Secretary of State, when negotiating a fisheries agreement with the EU, to pursue a fairer share of fishing opportunities than the UK currently receives under .
This would overhaul the current system where UK fishermen have received a poor deal that is based on fishing patterns from the 1970s. On average between 2012 and 2016 other EU Member States� vessels landed in the region of 760,000 tonnes of fish (£540 million revenue) annually caught in UK waters; whereas UK vessels landed approximately 90,000 tonnes of fish (£110 million revenue) caught in other Member States� waters per year in the same time period.
As well as strengthening the law, the Environment Secretary announced £37.2 million of extra funding to boost the UK fishing industry during the Implementation Period. This is in addition to the existing funding, which at â‚�243 million over seven years is broadly equivalent to £32 million a year. »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Government and Devolved Administrations have already committed to match the EMFF funding with around £60 million, so the extra funding will support more projects and the sector will benefit by a total of £320 million.
Mr Gove has also 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 EMFF to deliver funding for each nation. »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Devolved Administrations will lead on their own schemes.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove said:
We are taking back control of our waters and will secure a fairer share of fishing opportunities for the whole of the UK fishing industry as we leave the EU. »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp amendment to the Fisheries Bill will give legal weight to this commitment.
New funding will boost the industry as we become an independent coastal state, preparing it to receive a greater share of future fishing opportunities.
»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp 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:
- support innovation - in technologies to enhance economic growth, reduce environmental impact and improve fishing safety
- improve port infrastructure - so more fish can be landed in UK ports, and help the sector take advantage of new export opportunities after exit
- boost coastal communities - by providing benefits to areas that depend on a vibrant and profitable industry, and
- help the sector adjust - to new arrangements on access and fishing opportunities by improving capacity and capability to exploit new export opportunities and markets.