The Whitby Lobster Hatchery is set to expand thanks to a donation of £95,000 from the Woodsmith Foundation that will allow them to expand their team and cover some of their running costs.

This donation is the next stage of support for the charity that has already received over £50,000 from Anglo American directly.

Lobsters now make up the majority of income for local fishermen, replacing white fish as the main target species. The Hatchery will aim to dramatically increase lobster numbers off the North Yorkshire coast by protecting juveniles during their most vulnerable period, before eventually releasing 100,000 lobsters back into the North Sea, boosting the local fishing trade as a result.

Joe Redfern, owner and founder of the hatchery, said: “We believe that this conservation effort, alongside effective management, will protect lobster fishing in Whitby by strengthening local lobster stocks and securing jobs for Whitby’s fishing fleet. We will continue to work towards our conservation aims and bring positive change to our coastline.

"The support we’ve received from both Anglo American and the Woodsmith Foundation has been extremely generous. Without their support the Hatchery simply wouldn't be where it is today. We’re also really excited for the opening of our new Marine Discovery Centre later this year that Anglo American are also supporting us with."

Woodsmith Foundation Chief Executive Leah Swain said: “The Whitby Lobster Hatchery will play an important part in safeguarding the economic future of fishermen in Whitby as lobsters provide a large percentage of their income. We believe the Hatchery is a positive project for the town and are delighted to support the team and facility.”

The Woodsmith Foundation is an independent charity funded by Anglo American with the aim of leaving a positive legacy from the Woodsmith Project to the boroughs of Scarborough, Redcar and Cleveland and the North York Moors National Park.