Guidance

Support for cooperative activities, building capability and advisory services

Updated 9 June 2025

1.  Introduction

Funding in this area will support professional development and growth in coastal communities engaged within fishing, processing and aquaculture activities.

Funding can be applied for under the following measures:

  • M17 Providing advisory services
  • M18 Management, relief and advisory services for aquaculture farms
  • M19 Promoting skills, knowledge and networking
  • M20 Promoting skills, knowledge and networking in aquaculture
  • M22 Supporting new entrants into the industry
  • M25 Supporting co-operative activities
  • M31 Supporting partnerships between fishers and scientists

Please note this information is for guidance only and is not exhaustive or binding. If you are unsure whether an item is eligible, please contact MMO.

2.  Projects you can apply for

3.  M17 Providing advisory services

3.1 Projects should develop seafood businesses through quality advice and can include:

  • Feasibility studies and advisory services that assess the viability of projects.
  • The provision of professional advice on environmental sustainability, with a focus on limiting and, where possible, eliminating the negative impact of fishing, processing or aquaculture activities on marine, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.
  • The provision of professional advice on business strategies.
  • Feasibility studies, advisory services and advice referred to above must be provided by scientific, academic, professional or technical bodies, or entities providing economic advice that have the required competencies, as recognised by the MMO.

3.2  Funding will not be provided for:

  • Feasibilities studies, advisory services and advice provided by entities without the required competencies, as recognised by the MMO, will not be eligible for funding.

3.3  Result indicators

To measure the benefits delivered by projects under M17; Providing advisory services, the following indicators are applicable:

3.4  M17 Providing advisory services

Indicator Information you must provide
Change in net profits Current profit (£)

Expected profit (£) after the project

Company accounts for the last 3 years
The expected and actual change in net profits will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success.  
Employment maintained (FTE) in the fisheries sector or complementary activities Number of employees working in your business before the project

Expected number of employees working in your business after the project
The expected and actual change in number of employees will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success.  
Change in the number of work-related injuries and accidents The number of work-related injuries and accidents in the past 12 months, before the project.
The change in work related injuries and accidents will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success.  

Not all FaSS result indicators will be applicable to your project. You will be asked to choose the most suitable indicator to demonstrate the benefits of your project.

Once the project is complete you will be required to provide evidence as part of post project monitoring to show the actual benefits achieved by your project.

4.  M18 Management, relief and advisory services for aquaculture farms

4.1  Projects should develop aquaculture businesses through quality advice and can include:

  • The setting-up of management relief (providing recovery support), and advisory services for aquaculture farms, including support for industry disruption.
  • Assistance with development of business strategies

4.2  Funding will not be provided for:

  • Running costs of advisory providers.

4.3  Result indicators

To measure the benefits delivered by projects under M18, Management, relief and advisory services for aquaculture farms, the following indicators are applicable.

4.4  M18 Management, relief and advisory services for aquaculture farms

Indicator Information you must provide
Changes in the annual volume of production (tonnes) Total annual volume of aquaculture production (tonnes), before the project

Total expected annual volume of aquaculture production (tonnes), after the project

Company accounts for the last 3 years
The expected and actual change in annual volume of production will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success.  
Change in the annual value of production (£) Current annual value of production (£) before the project

Expected annual value of production (£) after the project

Company accounts for the last 3 years
The expected and actual change in annual value of production will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success.  
Change in net profits Current profit (£)

Expected profit (£) after the project

Company accounts for the last 3 years
The expected and actual change in net profits will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success  

Not all FaSS result indicators will be applicable to your project. You will be asked to choose the most suitable indictor to demonstrate the benefits of your project.

5.  M19 Promoting skills, knowledge and networking

5.1  Projects should support the professional development of seafood workers and can include:

  • Delivery of and attendance at non-mandatory professional training, to develop skills and lifelong learning.
  • Joint projects and the dissemination of knowledge (economic, technical, regulatory, scientific, or of innovative practices).

  • The acquisition of new professional skills, in particular linked to the sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems.

  • Knowledge, awareness and the dissemination of health, safety, and hygiene activities in the seafood sector.
  • The acquisition of new professional skills in aquaculture which will support reducing the environmental impact of aquaculture activities.

  • Networking and exchange of experiences and best practices between stakeholders, including among organisations promoting equal opportunities between men and women, promoting the role of women in fishing communities and promoting under-represented groups involved in small-scale coastal fishing or in on-foot fishing.

  • Improving the capacity for fishers, social partners and other relevant stakeholders to collectively engage at a national, regional or local level.

Funding will not be provided for:

  • Equipment for fishers to attend professional training courses.
  • Salary costs of training providers to develop professional training courses.

5.2  Result indicators

To measure the benefits delivered by projects under M19, Promoting skills, knowledge and networking, the following indicators are applicable:

5.3  M19 Promoting skills, knowledge and networking

Indicator Information you must provide
Dissemination activities undertaken Information on which of the following best describes your project:

1. Social dialogue - National;

2. Social dialogue - Regional;

3.Social dialogue - Local;

4. Networking;

5. Exchange of best practice between stakeholders;

6. Training programmes

Number of activities, events, meetings or training programmes you expect to undertake

Number of participants expected to be involved in these activities, events, meetings or training programmes
The number of expected and actual participants involved in the project will be used to determine its success.  
Training days funded Total number of training days expected to be created as a result of your project

Schedule of expected training dates

Number of participants expected to be involved in training
The number of expected and actual training days and participants will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success  
Employment maintained (FTE) in the fisheries sector or complementary activities Number of employees working in your business before the project

Expected number of employees working in your business after the project
The expected and actual change in number of employees will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success.  
Change in the number of work-related injuries and accidents The number of work-related injuries and accidents in the past 12 months, before the project
The change in work related injuries and accidents will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success.  

Not all FaSS result indicators will be applicable to your project. You will be asked to choose the most suitable indicator to demonstrate the benefits of your project.

6.  M20 Promoting skills, knowledge and networking in aquaculture

6.1  Projects should support the professional development of aquaculture workers and can include:

  • Professional training, lifelong learning, the dissemination of scientific and technical knowledge and innovative practices.
  • The acquisition of new professional skills in aquaculture with regard to the reduction of the environmental impact of aquaculture activities.

6.2  Result indicators

To measure the benefits delivered projects under M20 Promoting skills, knowledge and networking in aquaculture, the following indicators are applicable:

6.3  M20 Promoting skills, knowledge and networking in aquaculture

Indicator Information you must provide
Change in the number of work-related injuries and accidents The number of work-related injuries and accidents in the past 12 months, before the project
The change in work related injuries and accidents will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success.  
Employment maintained (FTE) Number of employees working in your business before the project

Expected number of employees working in your business after the project
The expected and actual change in number of employees will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success.  

Not all FaSS result indicators will be applicable to your project. You will be asked to choose the most suitable indicator to demonstrate the benefits of your project.

Once the project is complete you will be required to provide evidence as part of post project monitoring to show the actual benefits achieved by your project

7.  M22 Supporting new entrants into the industry

7.1  Projects should support the recruitment and retention of seafood workers and can include:

  • Supporting new entrants into the industry where there are opportunities.
  • The creation of job opportunities specifically for new entrants into the fishing industry.
  • Lifelong learning for new entrants into the fishing industry.
  • Provision of apprenticeship schemes for new entrants into the fishing industry.
  • Support for new entrants to develop sustainable practices in a new business.

7.2  Funding will not be provided for:

Funding will not be provided for projects where the primary focus does not relate to attracting, encouraging, supporting new entrants into the fishing industry.

7.3  Result indicators

To measure the benefits delivered by projects under M22; Supporting new entrants into the industry, the following indicators are applicable:

7.4  M22 Supporting new entrants into the industry

Indicator Information you must provide
Change in net profits Current profit (£)

Expected profit (£) after the project

Company accounts for the last 3 years
The expected and actual change in net profits will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success  
The change in work related injuries and accidents will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success.  
Employment maintained (FTE)바카라 사이트¯in the fisheries sector or complementary activities Number of employees working in your business before the project

Expected number of employees working in your business after the project
The expected and actual change in number of employees will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success.  

Not all FaSS result indicators will be applicable to your project. You will be asked to choose the most suitable indicator to demonstrate the benefits of your project.

Once the project is complete you will be required to provide evidence as part of post project monitoring to show the actual benefits achieved by your project.

8.  M25 Supporting co-operative activities

M25 supports the regional growth of the seafood sector through the establishment, maintenance and implementation of local groups and co-operatives whose purpose is to provide support, information sharing, learning/training, collaboration in respect of fisheries management plans, and transfer of best practice between businesses and local communities engaged in fishing and aquaculture activities, including the diversification of activities into other sectors of maritime economy.

8.1  Projects should support the regional growth of the seafood sector and can include:

  • Support to enable Local Authorities or regional groups to scope and develop collective action to support the aims of the FaSS in their local area.
  • Support to equip stakeholders with the resource or skills to participate in co-design and management. This includes funding for facilitating involvement and/or engagement with Fisheries Management Plans.
  • Activities focused on capacity building, training and networking with a view to preparing and implementing a local group or co-operative.
  • Support for setting up data sharing agreements between businesses to enable sharing of information and best practice.
  • Information campaigns via events, meetings, leaflets, website, social media, or press.
  • Exchanges with stakeholders, community groups and potential project promoters to generate ideas and build trust and confidence.
  • Support for community organisations and the creation or strengthening of community structures.

8.2  Funding will not be provided for:

  • Projects where the primary focus does not relate to establishing or facilitating local groups or cooperatives within the seafood sector.
  • Projects that do not support regional growth of the seafood sector.

8.3  Result indicators

To measure the benefits delivered by projects under M25 Supporting co-operative activities, the following indicators are applicable:

8.4  M25 Co-operative activities

Indicator Information you must provide
Employment maintained (FTE)바카라 사이트¯in the fisheries sector or complementary activities Number of employees working for the group/ cooperative

Expected number of employees working for the group / cooperative
The expected and actual change in number of employees will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success.  
Number of businesses created Total number of businesses expected to be created as a result of your project
The number of expected and actual businesses created will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success.  

Not all FaSS result indicators will be applicable to your project. You will be asked to choose the most suitable indicator to demonstrate the benefits of your project.

Once the project is complete you will be required to provide evidence as part of post project monitoring to show the actual benefits achieved by your project.

9.  M31 Supporting partnerships between fishers and scientists

9.1  Projects boosting scientific knowledge, address gaps identified in Fisheries Management Plans in England and have a plan for sharing findings with industry. Projects can include:

  • The creation of networks, partnership agreements or associations between one or more scientific bodies and fishers (including anglers)
  • Research to address evidence gaps identified in Fisheries Management Plans in England, as listed/prescribed on Gov.UK website.
  • Sector participation in monitoring trials to evaluate the role of technological opportunities in sustainable fisheries management e.g., REM, seal scarers etc.
  • Tools to communicate science and evidence to stakeholders.

9.2  Funding will not be provided for:

  • Projects where the primary focus does not support the recommendations of the relevant Fisheries Management Plan.
  • Projects that do not have the endorsement of industry representatives.

9.3  Result indicators

To measure the benefits delivered by projects under M31, Supporting partnerships between fishers and scientists, the following indicators are applicable:

9.4  M31 Supporting partnerships between fishers and scientists

Indicator Information you must provide
Change in net profits Current profit (£)

Expected profit (£) after the project

Company accounts for the last 3 years
The expected and actual change in net profits will be used to determine the project바카라 사이트™s success  

Not all FaSS result indicators will be applicable to your project. You will be asked to choose the most suitable indicator to demonstrate the benefits of your project.

Once the project is complete you will be required to provide evidence as part of post project monitoring to show the actual benefits achieved by your project.

10.  Funding available

The minimum and maximum funding available for measures relating to partnerships, advisory services and training are outlined below:

10.1  Limits of Funding Available in FaSS Measures

FaSS Measure Minimum Grant Value Available (£) Maximum Grant Value Available (£)
M17 Providing advisory services 500 100,000
M18 Management, relief and advisory services for aquaculture farms 500 70,000
M19 Promoting skills, knowledge and networking 500 250,000
M20 Promoting skills, knowledge and networking in aquaculture 500 100,000
M22 Supporting new entrants into the industry 500 100,000
M25 Supporting co-operative activities 500 250,000
M31 Supporting partnerships between fishers and scientists 500 80,000

Every project will require a level of match funding. The level of funding you are required to provide will depend on your business or organisation type.

It is your responsibility to source and provide match funding, such as business loans or cash resources. You must state the source of funding when applying. Before committing any private resources, we recommend you seek independent financial advice.

The amount of money you can apply for will depend on your business or organisation type. There are maximum allocations allowed for each applicant are outlined below:

Applicant Type Fass% Match Funding%
Public 75 25
Private (Micro Entity) 60 40
Private (SME) 50 50
Private (non-SME) 30 70
Private (SSCF) 80 20
Private (Fishermen바카라 사이트™s Associations) 75 25
Private (PO바카라 사이트™s) 75 25

Grant Rates Key:

SSCF - Small scale coastal fishing 바카라 사이트“ vessels under 12m and not using towed gear;
PO - Producer Organisation;
SME - Small and medium enterprises.