MARINE Fund Cymru has secured a £500,000 commitment from The Crown Estate, the first investment in the ambitious new scheme which will sustainably invest in nature in coastal Wales.
Now officially open for contributions, MARINE Fund Cymru is providing a new route for long-term investment in the restoration and resilience of Wales’s marine and coastal environment.
The fund was launched at the Coastal Futures conference in London last month by Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs for Wales. This marks a key milestone in turning partnership-led ambition into practical action.
About the Fund
An initiative of the Wales Coasts and Seas Partnership (CaSP Cymru), MARINE Fund Cymru is managed by WCVA (Wales Council for Voluntary Action). Working closely with the CaSP Cymru, WCVA has established the governance and safeguards for the fund and continues to lead the ongoing design and development of a robust national scheme that unlocks new investment for Wales. Funding will be distributed through grants to marine and coastal ecosystem recovery projects across Wales.
CaSP Cymru brings together public bodies, marine sectors and environmental organisations to support the Welsh Government’s vision for clean, healthy, productive and biologically diverse seas. MARINE Fund Cymru builds on this partnership approach to turn shared priorities into practical, coordinated action.
Support from The Crown Estate
The £500,000 in seed funding is part of The Crown Estate’s commitment to nature recovery, recognising the funding gap and the need to unlock sustainable investment in nature. The funding is a catalyst that will help leverage further long-term investment into Wales’s marine and coastal environment, enabling projects that really enhance the resilience of local ecosystems in Wales.
MARINE Fund Cymru is designed to attract contributions from a range of sources. Investors with shared ambitions are encouraged to contact WCVA to discuss the fund’s continued development. The first grant round is expected to open later this year.
‘We’re really excited to see the impact’
Huw Irranca-Davies, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Welsh Government said:
‘Our Coasts and Seas Partnership’s innovative MARINE Fund Cymru, designed to support the long-term resilience of our marine and coastal ecosystems, represents a significant step forward in protecting and restoring our precious marine environment. The fund aims to unlock sustainable investment in nature to secure the future health of our seas and coastlines for generations to come.’
Dr David Tudor, Chair of the Wales Coasts and Seas Partnership, said:
‘This milestone is a testament to the strength of the Wales Coasts and Seas Partnership. The collaborative nature of CaSP has led directly to this innovative approach, fuelled by the pro-active contributions of our partners who are committed to delivering a sustainable and resilient future for the coasts and seas of Wales.’
Caroline Price, Head of Nature & Environment, Marine at The Crown Estate, said:
‘We should not underestimate the importance of clean, productive and biologically diverse seas to our way of life – in Wales, across the UK and around the world. Nationally, investment in nature recovery remains low and The Crown Estate is committed to playing its part in addressing the funding gap for nature.
‘We’re excited by the vision of the Wales Coasts and Seas Partnership and welcome the launch of MARINE Fund Cymru. This is a positive mechanism to combine cross-sector funding in support of nature projects strategically across Wales, and we hope our seed funding will encourage many others to get involved.’
Lindsay Cordery-Bruce, Chief Executive, WCVA, said:
‘A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to get MARINE Fund Cymru to this point. This is a prime example of how thinking differently can bring new funding into Wales to deliver meaningful outcomes for people and nature. We’re really excited to see the impact this will make for years to come, and we’re looking forward to building from here and having conversations with any potential partners that share our vision and goals.’
MARINE Fund Cymru is now open for contributions.
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