Fishers have secured €6.6m investment so far under EMFAF
Since 2024 just over €6.6m has been awarded to fishers through the European Maritime, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Fund
More than €6.6m has been paid out to fishers since 2024 through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).
The announcement came at the Irish Skipper Exhibition, in Limerick from Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s seafood development agency.
Fishers have availed of this funding through the small-scale coastal fishers and inshore fleet economic assessment schemes. These schemes are implemented under Ireland’s seafood development programme, which the Irish government and EMFAF jointly fund.
“Innovation is key to the fishing sector’s ability to remain competitive against a backdrop of multiple challenges including high energy and trading costs, inflation, and geo-political instability. By improving the quality of their catch and adding value to it, fishers are opening up new market opportunities. These transformative investments are helping to secure the future of the Irish seafood sector,” said Caroline Bocquel, BIM CEO.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said: “The investments of €6,658,032 will include cutting-edge technologies driving down costs from solar powered on-shore live holding tanks, integrated on-board systems such as fish washing and gutting equipment enhancing sustainable production and fish quality, to value-adding systems including refrigerated vans transporting catch from vessel to market. We are delighted to be able to support this.”
BIM also announced the reopening of the lobster v-notching scheme on April 1, with EMFAF support. “Last year, 225 fishers in some 80 locations were awarded a total of €568,000 in grant aid as part of the v-notching scheme,” said Ms Bocquel.
“This resulted in more than 47,000 adult lobsters being safely returned to the sea – the highest number on record,” Ms Bocquel explained. BIM also announced at the Irish Skipper Expo new resources designed to help fishers develop their businesses and access to supports.
The two resources, entitled ‘Supports for Ireland’s Fisheries Sector’ and ‘Getting more for your catch – Guide to food safety and direct sales’, which is supported by EMFAF funding. The ‘Getting more for you catch’ guide might be of particular interest to fishers as it provides information on food safety and legal requirements needed to sell directly to the market.
