Gunfleet Sands Fisheries Fund

Fund Overview

The purpose of these funds is to help support the Gunfleet Sands Fishing Industry. It can be used for improving fishing port infrastructure, supporting training in the fishing industry, improving safety, providing necessary equipment and many others.

The fund is in recognition of the good cooperation that Ørsted aim to build between the fishing communities and the offshore wind developers.

Since commencement of works in 2008, £30,000 is available each year, increasing in line with the Retail Price Index, for 20 years, until 2028. This means that in 2026, the donation is £57,369.17 and as £3,542.63 was carried over from last year, the total available is £60,911.80.

PLEASE NOTE: Awarded grants will cover only the net amount of the invoice or quote (the amount before VAT is added).

If VAT is charged, the applicant must pay the VAT themselves and cannot claim it through the grant.

Grants of up to £10,000, are available for:

• any fisheries (whether trusts, associations or other institutions) whose boats are used for fishing within the geographical area of Walton-on-the-Naze to the port of Burnham-on-crouch, as shown on the funding zone map below:
  
• any licensed fishermen or their dependants whose boats are used for fishing in the area on at least 50 days of the year, or whose boats would, in the reasonable opinion of the Decision Making Panel (DMP) members, be so used but for injury or illness sustained by the potential recipient or any other cause outside the potential recipient’s control.

There is one application round each year, the closing date for 2026 is 26 August 2026.

Each fisher can only apply for one grant per year. Successful fishers can apply for further grants in subsequent years, but may not receive priority over others that are applying for the first time.

Match funding is not required. This means you do not need to have other sources of funding, unless of course the items you are purchasing are above the grant value you are applying for or are awarded. You will however, be required to cover any VAT associated with the purchase.

PLEASE NOTE: If a grant is awarded, it will either be paid directly to the supplier(s) you have provided a quote / pro-forma invoice for (this must include the suppliers bank details) or to the applicant AFTER the goods have been purchased and the necessary evidence, provided (i.e. formal invoice or receipt).

All purchases must be completed within three months of the grant being awarded.

Exclusions

Grants will not be available for:

• Fishers that are located and operate outside the Funding Zone, You will need to demonstrate the location of your base and your fishing zones, when you apply
• Salaries or general running costs (i.e diesel, mooring fees etc.)
• Retrospective funding (i.e. funding can only be requested for works that will begin / expenditure that will be incurred AFTER our funding decision has been made). However, there is a special exception for the 2026 funding round:

• You can apply for funding for costs already incurred, provided those costs were incurred on or after 01 January 2026.
• Costs incurred before 01 January 2026 are not eligible.

How Applications are Assessed

The decisions on which applications receive grants will be made by a DMP which is comprised of Ørsted and former Directors of Gunfleet Sands Fisheries Fund Limited.

You will know the decision on your application within 4 weeks of the closing date.

If, after reading the above, you are confident that your project meets the criteria, please click Next, below: