The regional development agency Yorkshire Forward has given the green light, but there is still some confusion as to just how much is on the table. . A figure of £1.5 million has been mooted, but some of that may have to be shared with the Hull fishing industry plans for modernisation. Yorkshire Forward has already warned industry in the region that money will be tight this year which has meant that projects like Grimsby fish market will have had to be adapted accordingly.

Martyn Boyers, chief executive of Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises, the company which operates the market told Fishupdate: "There is no doubt that this is a big step forward and I am very pleased. There are a number of things to sort out before we can go ahead, but hopefully we will be able to start work in the next few months and certainly by the summer. We could begin with some small schemes around April time and then move onto the larger jobs a bit later on."

The plan is to install new vehicle loading bays, fully enclose the market itself and add temperature controlled facilities for use during the warmer weather.

Grimsby now gets most of its fish through containers from Iceland and the Faroe Islands which are landed at the nearby port of Immingham and brought down by road. However, a small number of fish vessels continue to land occasionally and only three months ago Grimsby welcomed a brand new fishing vessel.

Steve Norton, chief executive of the Grimsby Fish Merchants Association, said he too was delighted for his members that work would soon finally proceed. "We have been waiting a long time for this which will help us secure the future of the industry.

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