Inshore Fleet Economic Assessment Scheme

This BIM Service Project, under the EMFAF Inshore Fisheries Scheme, aims to gather data regarding the inshore fleet. The data collected through this project, along with the previous 2023 inshore census, will be used to shape further supports for the sector into the future.

Clarification Note.

The rule in relation to activity at sea has been reviewed and the following amendment is now being implemented.

Originally this rule stated

Applicants must have verified activity at sea through logbook data for the two calendar years prior to the application (2022 and 2023). For vessels between10m and 17.99m, they must have carried out fishing activities for more than 60 days in each of the two calendar years.

The rule is now being applied as follows.

Applicants must have verified activity at sea through logbook data for the two calendar years prior to the application (2022 and 2023). For vessels between 10m and 17.99m, they must have carried out fishing activity for a total of 60 days fishing activity over the preceding two calendar years (2022 and 2023).

Example

• 1/ A vessel that can demonstrate 25 days logged fishing activity in 2023 and 35 days in 2022 they will now meet this eligibility criteria whereas previously they would have failed.
• 2/ In order to be eligible the requirement must be logged fishing activity for the two calendar years. Where an applicant has 60 days in one year and 0 days in another they will not be deemed eligible.

For vessels of < 10m the requirement for €1000 worth of sales notes in each of the two calendar years (2022 and 2023) remains.

Who is Eligible

Owners of fishing vessels which:

• Are registered on the Irish Register of Fishing Boats at the time of the application for support;
• Are less than 18m length overall (LOA); and
• Have evidence of fishing activity registered with the SFPA* for at least a total of 60 days during the two calendar years preceding the date of the application (this is evidenced through logbook data for vessels of 10m LOA or greater, and through sales notes** of at least €1,000 per annum for vessels less than 10m LOA).

*Applicants must ensure that logbooks/sales notes are registered with the SFPA. Neither BIM nor the SFPA can be held accountable for data not submitted.

**Note that invoices will not be accepted as proof of fishing activity.  

Support available

In recognition of the work involved for the sector in gathering and submitting the required data for this project, the following support is available:

• Completion of survey 1 within the required deadline: €2,000
• Completion of survey 2 within the required deadline:
  • €1,500 for vessels less than 8m LOA
  • €3,000 for vessels between 8m and 17.99m LOA

What is eligible

Payments will only be made to those who:

• Submit their application for support within the required deadline
• Accept their Letter of Offer within the required deadline
• Complete survey 1 within the required deadline
• Complete survey 2 within the required deadline (note that if survey 1 is not completed within the required deadline, the link to survey 2 will not be sent i.e. it is not possible to receive payment for survey 2 if survey 1 has not been completed within the required deadline)