Recommendations & Conclusions
8 items
1
Conclusion
7th Report – Resetting the relationship…
Accepted
While we welcome the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, the government has not clearly set out its rationale for committing £360 million over 12 years. The timeframe aligns with revised reciprocal access arrangements between the UK and EU, but it is unclear why this duration is the most suitable for …
Read more
While we welcome the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, the government has not clearly set out its rationale for committing £360 million over 12 years. The timeframe aligns with revised reciprocal access arrangements between the UK and EU, but it is unclear why this duration is the most suitable for investment planning or how the funding level was calculated. Including coastal community priorities within the Fund’s remit reflects the close link between fishing activity and local economic wellbeing, but the government has not demonstrated why this is best delivered through a new, single integrated scheme. While the Fund provides an opportunity for growth, resilience and competitiveness of the sector, it lacks clear objectives to track progress. (Conclusion, Paragraph 7)
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government provided a rationale for the Fund's purpose, stating it will support the fishing and seafood sector and contribute to coastal community regeneration. It committed to using clear and measurable criteria to ensure the Fund achieves its objectives, with design informed by evidence and …
Read full response →
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
5
Conclusion
7th Report – Resetting the relationship…
Accepted
No Parliament can bind its successor and therefore front-loading the 12-year investment would better support ambitious, multi-year projects and deliver early benefits. Current plans for the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund provide £165 million up to 2030–31, yet England’s first-year allocation is just £22.6 million, less than one-twelfth of the …
Read more
No Parliament can bind its successor and therefore front-loading the 12-year investment would better support ambitious, multi-year projects and deliver early benefits. Current plans for the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund provide £165 million up to 2030–31, yet England’s first-year allocation is just £22.6 million, less than one-twelfth of the £304 million allocated to England over the lifetime of the fund. (Conclusion, Paragraph 14)
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's observation and states it has introduced some front-loading to the Fund's spending profile, ensuring funds are available for the full 12 years and commencing allocation in 2026-27.
Read full response →
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
6
Recommendation
7th Report – Resetting the relationship…
Accepted
In response to this report, the government should set out the year-by-year allocation of the budget in England for the next four years and clarify how funding will be provided to the devolved administrations through the block grant, including whether this will be annual, front-loaded, or issued as a single …
Read more
In response to this report, the government should set out the year-by-year allocation of the budget in England for the next four years and clarify how funding will be provided to the devolved administrations through the block grant, including whether this will be annual, front-loaded, or issued as a single payment to be profiled independently. (Recommendation, Paragraph 15)
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government provided the £116m budget allocation for the Fund in England from 2026/27 to 2029/30 and clarified that Barnett formula consequentials of £13m capital and £6m resource DEL (for 2026/27-2028/29) apply to devolved governments, who are responsible for their own allocation.
Read full response →
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
8
Recommendation
7th Report – Resetting the relationship…
Accepted
From year two onward, delivery of the Fund will not be limited to the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme and will incorporate a broader range of priorities such as community projects which are potentially beyond the remit of what the current schemes, and the Marine Management Organisation, deliver. (Conclusion, Paragraph 17)
Read more
From year two onward, delivery of the Fund will not be limited to the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme and will incorporate a broader range of priorities such as community projects which are potentially beyond the remit of what the current schemes, and the Marine Management Organisation, deliver. (Conclusion, Paragraph 17)
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government states it is developing future plans for the Fund, and a broader range of spending options will be established, moving beyond the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS). They are engaging with stakeholders and an Expert Advisory Group to develop priorities for year two …
Read full response →
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
12
Recommendation
7th Report – Resetting the relationship…
Accepted
Going forward, the UK Government should work collaboratively with the devolved administrations on the design and allocation of the Fund to ensure consistency and fairness across the sector for the allocations in year two. Seafish should be used to support a coherent UK-wide approach. (Recommendation, Paragraph 24) Communication and trust
Read more
Going forward, the UK Government should work collaboratively with the devolved administrations on the design and allocation of the Fund to ensure consistency and fairness across the sector for the allocations in year two. Seafish should be used to support a coherent UK-wide approach. (Recommendation, Paragraph 24) Communication and trust
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government commits to continuing to work closely and constructively with the Devolved Governments as delivery progresses. It also notes the renewed Seafood Exports Package, which will support businesses across all four nations and be delivered by Defra in collaboration with Seafish, addressing the call …
Read full response →
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
19
Recommendation
7th Report – Resetting the relationship…
Accepted
Those who are regulated need clear visibility of how that regulation is being enforced, so it is concerning that the MMO no longer routinely publishes its enforcement data in its annual reports, despite continuing to collect it. While we welcome the MMO sharing a snapshot of this data with us …
Read more
Those who are regulated need clear visibility of how that regulation is being enforced, so it is concerning that the MMO no longer routinely publishes its enforcement data in its annual reports, despite continuing to collect it. While we welcome the MMO sharing a snapshot of this data with us and reviewing its publication procedures, fishers and the wider industry must also be able to access this information each year. (Conclusion, Paragraph 36) 29
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government states that the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has committed to making enforcement data publicly available through its Annual Report and Accounts process, with a report expected in autumn 2026, which will include a breakdown of inspection types and compliance rates for the previous …
Read full response →
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
21
Recommendation
7th Report – Resetting the relationship…
Accepted
There is growing spatial conflict between fisheries, offshore energy, conservation and other marine users, yet current governance arrangements still lack a coherent “shore-to-sea” approach. Defra’s Marine Spatial Prioritisation programme (MSPri) remains opaque and underused, The Crown Estate’s Marine Delivery Routemap has a limited remit focused on the seabed, and the …
Read more
There is growing spatial conflict between fisheries, offshore energy, conservation and other marine users, yet current governance arrangements still lack a coherent “shore-to-sea” approach. Defra’s Marine Spatial Prioritisation programme (MSPri) remains opaque and underused, The Crown Estate’s Marine Delivery Routemap has a limited remit focused on the seabed, and the UK-wide Marine Policy Statements are outdated. Together, these policies fail to provide clear and consistent direction for the management of marine space. A single, comprehensive UK- wide sea use framework is therefore required to bring these strands together, offering clarity, predictability and a consistent basis for decision-making, co-location and conflict resolution across all sectors. (Conclusion, Paragraph 48)
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the issue of marine spatial squeeze but states it will continue to use existing frameworks and programmes like MSPri, Marine Policy Statements, and TCE's Routemap rather than creating a new single, comprehensive UK-wide sea use framework as requested.
Read full response →
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
26
Conclusion
7th Report – Resetting the relationship…
Accepted
Fragmented responsibilities and siloed decision-making continue to undermine coherent marine management. Confusion over the North Sea Future Plan and conflicting policy signals experienced by fishers demonstrate that existing coordination structures are not delivering consistent cross-government direction. Although mechanisms such as 31 the MSPri Board exist, they do not provide the …
Read more
Fragmented responsibilities and siloed decision-making continue to undermine coherent marine management. Confusion over the North Sea Future Plan and conflicting policy signals experienced by fishers demonstrate that existing coordination structures are not delivering consistent cross-government direction. Although mechanisms such as 31 the MSPri Board exist, they do not provide the strategic, ministerial level leadership required to align marine, fisheries, conservation and energy priorities across government. (Conclusion, Paragraph 55)
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's concern but states that existing structures such as Marine Plans, National Policy Statements, the MSPri programme, and TCE’s Marine Delivery Routemap already provide the functions of a Sea Use Framework.
Read full response →
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs