The South West RDA supports a range of activities aimed at promoting sustainable development of the fishing industry in South West England, including working with regional partners to develop proposals relating to the European Fisheries Fund 2007-2013. 
 
To help inform our work we commissioned a socio-economic baseline study of the industry in 2003. The information in this study will inform production of a strategy for the future development of the fishing sector in the region. The report considers:  

• the make-up of the fleet
• landing trends and employment
• the upstream and downstream businesses that are dependant on the industry
• changing business practices and supplies.

A copy of the executive summary and full report is available by following the links below:

• Executive Summary (Adobe Acrobat Reader Document - 40.25kb)
• Full Report (Adobe Acrobat Reader Document - 492.14kb)
• Annexes (Adobe Acrobat Reader Document - 157.81kb)
• SW Dependency Map (Adobe Acrobat Reader Document - 35.96kb)

European Fisheries Fund (EFF)

To lead regional preparations for EFF a steering group was established in August 2006. The main purpose of the group is to oversee development of a regional framework that will provide the context for delivering EFF in the region 2007-2013 and will inform the UK Operational Programme for EFF which is currently being developed by the Marine Fisheries Agency, an executive agency of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA.) Minutes of steering group meetings are available below:

• 15.09.2006: EFF Strategy Board Meeting Notes (Adobe Acrobat Reader Document - 50.87kb)
• 15.09.2006: EFF Presentation (Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation - 320.51kb)

Proposals for delivering EFF will be included in the alginment events, alongside other European funding programmes, being held on the 23rd November 2006 in Cornwall and on the 30th November 2006 in Bristol. 
 
For further information please contact Diana Mompoloki, diana.mompoloki@southwestrda.org.uk, Tel: 01392 229641.