Political support is rapidly building behind the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation’s (CFPO) plans for a Cornish Fishing and Seafood Pilot, positioning the region at the forefront of the UK Government’s new £360 million Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund.
Cornish MPs have thrown their weight behind the CFPO’s proposal, raising it directly with the Fisheries Minister in Westminster over recent weeks. Their joint backing signals a unified political drive to secure investment that will deliver tangible benefits for the Cornish fleet, its harbours, supply chain and communities.
Chairman Paul Trebilcock said:
“Earlier this year I made the point that the fishing industry needs more than warm words, it needs genuine backing and action from the government and a commitment to work with us, not just talk about us. The new Fund, and the agreement to make decisions using science and the best evidence, are encouraging signs that things are improving. The Cornish Pilot has been developed with hard work from the CFPO, now it’s time for our political leaders to step up, get this over the line and turn those words into action.”
The CFPO has been leading efforts since the summer to demonstrate the value of a Cornwall-led pilot, with its four investment pillars, science and sustainability, modernising harbour and supply chain infrastructure, skills and careers, and enhancing seafood promotion and marketing, all designed to future-proof the region’s fishing and seafood sector.
Cornish MP for St Austell & Newquay, Noah Law said:
“The Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation has produced a solid plan for how we make the most of our Fisheries and Coastal Growth Funding and I am proud to be working with DEFRA to try and make sure our Cornish fleets are trailblazers in investing in our fisheries science, skills, infrastructure and marketing.
It’s great to see our Government working hand-in-glove with local industry to enable it to make decisions around how money is spent, over the long-term, rather than the hand-to-mouth approach that’s characterised previous interventions.”
Cornwall’s case is compelling. As shown in the CFPO’s True Value of Seafood research, Cornwall is the UK’s number one seafood hotspot, with a fleet generating around £50 million at first sale annually, totalling £174m GVA and supporting 8,000 jobs. This makes Cornwall uniquely placed to deliver impact through the Growth Fund.
CFPO Chief Executive Chris Ranford said:
“It’s very positive to see Cornwall’s MPs working together to support the Cornish Fishing Pilot. The fund is perfectly aligned with where we want to take the sector. Cornwall is the UK’s number one seafood hotspot and our projects are ready to go. Following the publication of the Cornish Fishing Strategy in 2022, we have continued to develop a portfolio of strategic projects that are now ready for expansion, proven in practice, and well positioned to deliver strong returns on investment.”
The CFPO says this growing recognition in both Westminster and Cornwall reflects the strength of collaboration across the sector and the shared ambition to deliver a strong, sustainable future for Cornish fishing.
