The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) is the fund for the EU’s maritime and fisheries policies for 2014-2020. Bord Iascaigh Mhara has been designated as an intermediary body for the administration of EMFF grants for individuals, groups and businesses and administers 14 external grant funding schemes across four Union Priorities.
The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) funds BIM internal work programmes and projects across seven schemes and these projects are set out below.
EMFF Operational Programme
The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and the Irish Government co-fund the EMFF Operational Programme for Ireland. BIM is committed to deep collaborative work programmes funded under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), our sister agencies Bord Bia and the Marine Institute, to collectively deliver on the national commitments set out in the Food Wise 2025 and the Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth plans.
The EMFF funds actions that support the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and Integrated Maritime Policy through the implementation of an Operational Programme in the period 2014-2020.
In Ireland there is approximately €239.2 million of which approximately €100m is allocated to Schemes operated by BIM for the following objectives:
- To help fishermen in the transition to sustainable fishing
- To support coastal communities in diversifying their economies
- To finance projects that create new jobs and improve quality of life along European coasts
- To support sustainable aquaculture developments
- To make it easier for applicants to access financing.
The Irish Operational Programme is organised around six priorities, with the programmes operated by BIM supporting four of those priorities:
Union Priority 1 (UP1) Sustainable Development of Fisheries
Union Priority 2 (UP2) Sustainable Development of Aquaculture
Union Priority 4 (UP4) Sustainable Development of Fisheries & Aquaculture Areas
Union Priority 5 (UP5) Marketing & Processing
Bord Iascaigh Mhara External Grant Funding Schemes
The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) supports the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Operational Programme which aims at achieving key national development priorities. BIM administers 14 external grant funding schemes across four Union Priorities:
Sustainable Fisheries Scheme
The Sustainable Fisheries Scheme is established under Union Priority 1 (Sustainable Fisheries) of Ireland’s Operational Programme under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014 – 2020, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Commission.
The scheme supports investment in encouraging new practices that lead to reduced catches of juvenile and/or over quota species with the ultimate aim of improved fisheries sustainability. The Sustainable Fisheries Scheme is divided into two external grants funded sub-schemes:
Part B – On Board Investments which supports on-board capital investment in Marine Fishing Vessels and Part C – Promoting Quality and Added Value Onshore which supports fishers in meeting the challenges of the landing obligation.
The Inshore Fisheries Conservation Scheme is established under Union Priority 1 (Sustainable Fisheries) of Ireland’s Operational Programme under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014 – 2020, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Commission. Inshore Fisheries Conservation Scheme
This scheme provides supports measures for enhanced management and conservation of inshore stocks, more selective fishing gear and the preparation and implementation of management plans for inshore stocks.
The Inshore Fisheries Conservation Scheme V-Notching Support provides for grant aid to approved groups (and in exceptional cases individuals) to implement local lobster v-notching programmes.
New Fisherman Scheme
The New Fisherman Scheme is established under Union Priority 1 (Sustainable Fisheries) of Ireland’s Operational Programme under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014 – 2020, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Commission.
This scheme assists new entrants into the fishing industry in acquiring ownership of their first whitefish fishing vessel.
Training and Capacity Building Scheme
The Training and Capacity Building Scheme is established under Union Priority 1 (Sustainable Fisheries) of Ireland’s Operational Programme under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014 – 2020, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Commission.
This scheme provides grant aid for training candidates and training providers for partial support for course fees and subsistence costs for training in the Irish catching, fish farming and seafood processing sectors.
The Seafood Capacity Building Scheme provides grant aid to assist with staging conferences or workshops and attend overseas at conferences, workshops, seafood trade shows and other networking events.
Seafood Innovation Scheme
The Seafood Innovation Scheme is established under Union Priority 1 (Sustainable Development of Fisheries) of Ireland’s Operational Programme and Union Priority 5 (Processing and Marketing) under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014 – 2020, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Commission.
This Scheme supports investment to enable entrepreneurs and seafood companies to innovate and grow businesses; to build capability in the sector through improved leadership, and management & business planning practices. Supports are focused on new product and technology development, R&D and Business Planning.
The Seafood R&D Programme supports research and development projects aimed at developing new or improved products and processes for the sector
COVID-19 Fleet Tie Up Scheme
The COVID-19 Fleet Tie Up Scheme is established under Union Priority 1 (Sustainable Development of Fisheries) of Ireland’s Operational Programme under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014 – 2020, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Commission.
A temporary voluntary fleet tie-up scheme was opened in May 2021. The scheme was designed to assist in adjusting the supply of fish coming onto a market that was depressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and protect quota availability for later in the year.
This scheme is now closed.
Knowledge Gateway Scheme
The Knowledge Gateway Scheme is established under Union Priority 2 (Sustainable Development of Aquaculture) of Ireland’s Operational Programme under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014 – 2020, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Commission.
This Scheme supports applied research, new species development and commercialisation, research into managing diseases and parasites, the provision of environmental and business planning advice, and training for the aquaculture sector.
The Brexit Planning Business Support Scheme provides support for business planning as a result of the UK leaving the EU. For further information on Brexit supports, go to the Brexit Hub.
Sustainable Aquaculture Scheme
The Sustainable Aquaculture Scheme is established under Union Priority 2 (Sustainable Development of Aquaculture) of Ireland’s Operational Programme under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014 – 2020, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Commission.
This Scheme supports investment to promote the sustainable growth of output, value and employment in the aquaculture sector. Supports are focused on increasing the productive output of aquaculture enterprises, new aquaculture enterprises entering the sector, scaling up of aquaculture enterprises to improve their competitiveness and efficiency and diversification into new species and methods. The Scheme also encourages organic production and will provide assistance to enterprises significantly affected by naturally occurring biotoxin events.
COVID-19 Aquaculture Support Scheme
The COVID-19 Aquaculture Support Scheme is established under Union Priority 2 (Sustainable Development of Aquaculture) of Ireland’s Operational Programme under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014 – 2020, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Commission.
This scheme was open until November 2020 and was available to rope mussel and intensive (trestle and bag) gigas oyster farmers.
This scheme is now closed.
Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGS)
The Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGS) is established under Union Priority 4 (Sustainable Development of Fisheries and Aquaculture Areas) of Ireland’s Operational Programme under the European Maritime COVID-19 Aquaculture Support Scheme and Fisheries Fund 2014 – 2020, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Commission.
FLAG, Fisheries Local Area Action Group (2014 – 2020) is a coastal community development strategy with a fund of €12 million for seven designated Irish coastal communities. The seven FLAGs are South FLAG (Cork), Southwest (Kerry, Limerick), South East (Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow) West, (Galway, Clare), Northwest (Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim), North (Donegal), and North East (Dublin, Louth, Meath).
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) assists FLAGs to deliver this scheme through administering supports via grant-aid, training and on the ground facilitation, with dedicated regional FLAG coordinators in each region.
Seafood Processing Capital Investment Scheme
The Seafood Processing Capital Investment Scheme is established under Union Priority 5 (Marketing and Processing) of Ireland’s Operational Programme under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014 – 2020, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Commission.
This Scheme supports capital investment by seafood processing enterprises to develop an added value processing sector which is competitive and sustainable. Supports are focused on capital investments which reduce energy costs, improve safety, health, hygiene and traceability and also add value through processing, presentation and packaging.
Seafood Scaling & New Marketing Development Scheme
The Seafood Scaling & New Marketing Development Scheme is established under Union Priority Union Priority 5 (Marketing and Processing) of Ireland’s Operational Programme under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014 – 2020, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Commission.
This Scheme supports investment to promote scale and collaboration in the sector and to fund projects which address key sector issues. Supports are focused on Industry collaboration forums, Joint Ventures between companies, producers and processors and projects which address common sector issues.
This scheme is now closed.
Producer Organisation Scheme
The Producer Organisation Scheme is established under Union Priority 5 (Marketing and Processing) of Ireland’s Operational Programme under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014 – 2020, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Commission.
EMFF Case Studies 2020
Click on the report to download case studies
BIM Grants Awarded under EMFF 2016 – 2019
