Covid-19 Temporary Tie-up Scheme Open for Applications

Following the recent announcement by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, T.D, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s seafood development agency, has today (Tuesday, 19^th May, 2020) launched a temporary voluntary fleet tie-up scheme designed to assist in adjusting the supply of fish coming onto a market that is currently depressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and protect quota availability for later in the year. The Scheme will be implemented under Ireland’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme 2014-20, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Commission.

The new scheme, which complements the Government Covid-19 measures such as wage supports and loan arrangements already being provided, will offer support to vessel owners for fixed costs incurred while tied-up.

The closing date for applications for June is 5pm on Wednesday May 27^th. Applications for July and August will be accepted up until June 20^th and July 20^th respectively. Any vessel not receiving support to tie-up in any month due to over-subscription to the Scheme may opt to tie-up for one or two of the following months.

Applications to the Scheme can be made online at bim.flexigrant.com