States to provide fishing industry with £300,000 support

Finances will help the sector with running costs such as fuel and staff, alongside long-term business investments

Jersey's government is giving £300,000 of support to the fishing industry.

A new marine sector support scheme has been set up to help the industry manage rising costs and to encourage it to be more "environmentally friendly".

Finances will go towards running costs such as fuel and staffing, and long-term business investments.

The Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Deputy Kirsten Morel, said it was the first scheme to support the industry.

He said: "This will be the first scheme of its type for our fishing sector, and will build on our experience providing support to the rural economy.

"It's a real opportunity to ensure we maintain and develop a sector that is an important part of Jersey's heritage."

Mr Morel said short-term support would focus on designing a scheme alongside stakeholders to "deliver support as swiftly as possible" so businesses could meet "many significant economic challenges".

In the long term, Mr Morel said he would "want to tailor the scheme so that from 2024 and beyond it helps us to deliver an outcome which is environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable".

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