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<p>The Seafood Response Fund did not have restrictions based on minimum vessel size
but did utilise a minimum sales threshold of £10,000 recorded on sales notes supplied
by registered buyers and sellers of fish between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2019.
The scheme was targeted in this way to ensure that Defra only supported businesses
that participated in the seafood sector on a fulltime basis. Wider government support
was available for businesses impacted by COVID-19, and the £10,000 threshold ensured
the fisheries scheme represented value for money and was targeted at commercial fishing
businesses that were reliant on seafood as their main source of income.</p><p> </p><p>The
Government remains committed to supporting the seafood sector, including small fishing
vessels, and at the last Spending Review we announced £32.7 million in funding to
support the sector. In England some of this funding is being used to deliver the Fisheries
and Seafood Scheme, which will provide grant funding for projects that help seafood
businesses of all sizes adapt to new export conditions, recover from the impacts of
COVID-19 and achieve other sector priorities. Businesses outside England should contact
their own fishing administrations to see what other support may be available.</p>
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