IRISH CALL FOR FISHERS AND PROCESSORS TO UTILISE INVESTMENT SCHEMES

Irish call for fishers and processors to utilise investment schemes. Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D has called on fishers and seafood processors to directly engage with Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) on exploring how they might utilise the four investment schemes that he opened last week..

Minister McConalogue said:

“The seafood sector is of significant economic, social and cultural value to our coastal, rural communities. I provide significant funding to BIM to support the development of the sector and I have been assured by BIM that advice and support to those individual fishers and processors who wish to apply for funding under these schemes will be available. I strongly advise those interested to contact BIM or to email grantshelpdesk@bim.ie

Minister McConalogue in particular drew attention to the details of the four investment schemes which are now open on the BIMs website at www.bim.ie

1 : The Inshore Fisheries Scheme provides targeted supports for the small-scale coastal fishing vessels, which are registered fishing vessels under 12 metres in length who do not use towed gear. This scheme has enhanced grant intensity rates of between 80% and 100% to support both on-board and onshore investment, and for participation in conservation measures. This scheme is designed to be a ‘one stop shop’ for Small Scale Coastal Fishers (SSCF), allowing both onshore and onboard investments by SSCF vessel owners, with the following objectives:

• Selective Fishing: Investment in equipment to Improve size or species selectivity of fishing gear to avoid and reduce unwanted catches in accordance with Article 15 of Regulation (EU) 1380/2013.
• Energy Efficiency: Investments in equipment aimed at reducing the emission of pollutants or greenhouse gases and increasing the energy efficiency of fishing vessels, and onshore operations. Energy efficiency audits.
• Hygiene, Health, and Safety: Investments on board that improve hygiene, health, safety and working conditions provided and that exceed legislative requirements.
• Quality: Innovative investments that improve the quality of fishery products or add value to fishery products, by allowing fishermen to carry out the processing of these catches.
• Traceability: The costs of purchase and installation on board of the components, including computer hardware and software, which are necessary to ensure the traceability of fishery products.

2 : The lobster V-notching Scheme continues the good work done under previous V-notching schemes to improve the sustainability of this fishery. This scheme is of significant importance to many in the inshore sector. The support rate under this scheme is 100% for Small Scale Coastal Fishing (SSCF) vessels, and 50% for other vessels.

3 : The Sustainable Fisheries Scheme provides support to all registered fishing vessels (other than the small-scale coastal fishing vessels) for on-board investment to:

• Improve quality: Innovative investments on board that improve the quality of fishery products or add value to fishery products, by allowing fishers to carry out the processing of these catches,
• Improve catch handling,
• Enhance traceability: The costs of purchase and installation on board of the components, including computer software, which are necessary to ensure the traceability of fishery products,
• Improve hygiene, health and safety: Investments on board that exceed legislative requirements to improve hygiene, health, safety and working conditions provided,
• Improve energy efficiency: Investments in equipment aimed at reducing the emission of pollutants or greenhouse gases and increasing the energy efficiency of fishing vessels. Onboard energy efficiency audits.
• The support rate under this scheme is 50%.

Both the Inshore Fisheries Scheme and the Sustainable Fisheries Scheme support investment by fishing vessels in more selective gear that reduces catches of juvenile and/or over quota species, with the ultimate aim of improving the sustainability of fisheries.

4 : The Seafood Processing Capital Investment Scheme provides important support for capital investment in the seafood processing sector and aims to continue and build on the supports provided to the sector over the course of 2022 and 2023 under the Brexit Processing Capital Support Scheme. The objectives of the Seafood Processing Capital Investment Scheme are to;

• Support the development of the processing sector by adding value to, and fully utilising raw material,
• Support the development of operational optimisation in the processing sector,
• Improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions.

The support rates under this scheme are:

• 50% for investments to add value to, or fully utilise raw material,
• 30% for investments to optimise operations.

Speaking at the recent Agri-Fish Council in Luxembourg Minister McConalogue demonstrated his commitment to supporting the seafood sector by promoting an evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy that both pays particular attention to the impact on the EU and Member States’ fishing opportunities as a result of the quota transfers under the Trade and Co-operation Agreement and the impact of the unilateral actions of Third Countries within the Coastal States framework as well as considering options to strengthen the economic link between the EU fleet and EU processors in order to build resilience for the entire supply chain.

Future schemes to be opened include:

• The Aquaculture Capital Investment Scheme
• The Seafood Training Scheme
• Young Fishers Scheme

Further schemes will be developed and opened over the lifetime of the programme, including a scheme to support the Producer Organisations and the Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs).

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