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Fleet Safety Scheme

Apply for grant funding to help improve the safety of your fishing vessels.

This scheme is intended to further improve the overall safety standards onboard Irish fishing vessels.

Clarification Note

Applications prior to Safety Grant Update

The safety grant scheme was revised in early October to ensure that capital items that are now eligible under the EMFAF Sustainable Fisheries Scheme are applied for under that scheme. Where applicants included capital items now eligible under Sustainable Fisheries as part of a safety grant application prior to the 30th September 2024 and are unable to now apply for them under the EMFAF Sustainable Fisheries Scheme they may be approved for funding, subject to the terms and conditions of the scheme, under the appeals process.

Who is Eligible Who is Eligible

Owners of vessels registered on the Irish Register of Fishing Boats. Applications may be made for vessels of all sizes.

What is Funded What is Funded

The full list of (in)eligible items covered under the scheme can be found here.

 

Amounts Granted Amounts Granted

Beneficiary Type Aid Intensity

Rate

 Expenditure Type
Vessels 12m + LOA (length overall) 40% All
Vessels <12m LOA 60% All

 

As noted in the list of eligible items, there are maximum eligible expenditure limits, and a maximum frequency at which each category will be funded.

De Minimis Regulation

In addition it should be noted that this scheme is subject to the de minimis regulation. As small amounts of aid are unlikely to distort competition, a useful approved EU mechanism for State aid is the industrial de minimis regulation which allows small amounts of aid to a single undertaking for a wide range of purposes. For the fishery and aquaculture sector, this is limited to a total of €30,000 aid over 3 consecutive fiscal years i.e. the year of the grant application/payment and the previous 2 years.

Applicants must declare any de minimis aid received from other sources on the Fleet Safety grant application form. BIM will check the total de minimis grant aid issued by it, along with any additional de minimis aid from other sources declared by the applicant. If the limit has been exceeded the grant application will be rejected.

The total is again checked at the time any grant awarded is drawn down. If, in the period intervening the Letter of Offer and the claim, the applicant has availed of other de minimis aid and the claim amount would then exceed the limit, payment on the Fleet Safety grant must be refused.

It is up to the applicant to ensure they understand the de minimis limits and the implications they may have for their draw down of grant aid.

How to Apply How to Apply

Apply online on Grant Electronics Management System

Warning: This application form is not compatible with mobile devices. For best results please use desktop/laptop when completing this form.

For technical queries in relation to BIM’s Grants Electronic Management System (GEMS) please email: grantshelpdesk@bim.ie.

Resources:

For more information contact grantshelpdesk@bim.ie

Grant Help Desk

Grant Help Desk