Public being urged to support local fishing businesses in the South East

Video report by ITV Meridian reporter Andy Dickenson

More fishing businesses in the South East will struggle financially due to the pandemic if the public do not step in, according to a leading charity.

The Fisherman's Mission says that during the first three months of the lockdown, they distributed more than a quarter of a million pounds of support to desperate fishing families.

The charity is continuing to fundraise to help struggling families. Meanwhile, many fishing businesses in the South East are now looking for inventive ways to stay financially afloat in this difficult time. A fisherman in Emsworth, Hampshire says he's relied heavily on sales from his home delivery service.

A fisherman in Emsworth, Hampshire has been making changes to keep up sales during the pandemic

He's hoping people will continue to buy locally as a way of helping the fishing industry.