€6.6m boost for Irish fishing sector under EU-backed investment schemes

Over €6.6 million in investments have been secured by Ireland's fishing sector since 2024 through key schemes under Ireland’s Seafood Development Programme, the Irish seafood development agency Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) has announced.

Funded by both the Irish government and the EU through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), the three schemes - Sustainable Fisheries, Small Scale Coastal Fishers, and Inshore Fleet Economic Assessment - aim to modernise and future-proof Ireland's fisheries sector.

“The investments of €6,658,032 will include cutting-edge technologies driving down costs from solar powered on-shore live holding tanks, integrated on-board systems such as fish washing and gutting equipment enhancing sustainable production and fish quality, to value-adding systems including refrigerated vans transporting catch from vessel to market," explained Ireland's Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, in a BIM press release.

“Innovation is key to the fishing sector’s ability to remain competitive against a backdrop of multiple challenges including high energy and trading costs, inflation and geo-political instability," added Caroline Bocquel, CEO of Ireland's seafood development agency BIM.

"By improving the quality of their catch and adding value to it, fishers are opening up new market opportunities. These transformative investments are helping to secure the future of the Irish seafood sector," she said.

Speaking at the recent Irish Skipper Expo 2025 in Limerick, Minister of State with responsibility for Fisheries Timmy Dooley said that the investments made under the EU-funded schemes show the Irish fishing sector is "embracing new technologies and innovative ways to be more productive and sustainable to add value to and improve the quality of their catch."

He added that the investments show a “strong focus on the whole seafood value chain from catch to market.”

At the Expo, which took place on 21-22 March, BIM announced that its successful lobster v-notching conservation scheme will re-open on 1 April 2025 with continued EMFAF support.

Last year, €568,000 in grants helped 225 fishers return over 47,000 adult lobsters to the sea, marking an all-time record, with the potential to produce more than 352 million larvae in the following year.

To further assist fishers, BIM also launched two new EMFAF-supported resources at the event: ‘Getting more for your catch – Guide to food safety and direct sales’ and ‘Supports for Ireland’s Fisheries Sector’. These printed guides aim to help fishers develop their businesses and generate more income by selling directly to market.

“As the catching sector continues to deal with significant challenges, BIM’s key focus is supporting fishers to navigate and adapt to these changes,. There are many opportunities for fishers to develop their businesses and to do more with their catch, opening up new opportunities to generate more income. The ‘Getting more for your catch’ guide provides information on food safety and legal requirements need to sell direct to market," Bocquel said.

Under a separate funding scheme, Dooley recently announced a €27.75 million funding package to upgrade and develop Ireland’s publicly owned fishery harbours and coastal infrastructure under the 2025 Fishery Harbour Centre and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme.

According to Irish government data, each year around 87% of all fish landings in Ireland arrive at the Fishery Harbour Centres, an important part of the Irish seafood industry which was in 2023 valued at more than €1.2 billion.