merrion street

Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D. today announced the award of €4,863,643 in grants to 26 seafood enterprises and 3 research institutions in 11 different counties under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme for the seafood sector. The grant awards will support total investment of €13 million in capital investment, applied research and marketing in the aquaculture and seafood processing sectors. The grants are co-funded by Government of Ireland and the European Union and subject to terms and conditions.

Minister Creed said,

“I am delighted to announce the first tranche of EMFF grant awards in 2018 to seafood enterprises and research institutions that will lead to €13 million investment in our seafood sector. It is very encouraging to see 15 capital investments in aquaculture underway, together with 3 significant research projects. These are precisely the types of investments we need to see coming forward and they can positively contribute towards achievement of our growth plans for the aquaculture sector in the coming years. I am also very pleased with the continuing commitment of the seafood processing sector to investing in value-adding. Increased investment in value added products in our seafood processing industries improves the competitiveness of those companies and increases the returns to our fishing fleet. There are some very interesting and positive investments now underway, not least in the pelagic sector. These are the culmination of much good work by ambitious seafood enterprises, closely supported by BIM, to identify and take advantage of growth opportunities.”

These grant awards contribute to the Action Plan for Rural Development.