Holly Cairns
Question:2121. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that he is taking in response to the doubling of fuel prices in recent months for fishers. [41026/22]
View answerTuesday, 26 July 2022
Questions (2121)
Written answers
Since the publication of the Report of the Seafood Task Force - Navigating Change (October 2021), I have announced a number of support schemes for our fishing fleet and wider seafood sector and coastal communities.
Over October to December 2021, a Brexit Temporary Fleet Tie-up Scheme made available supports of €4,600 up to €88,700 per month depending on vessel size for vessels to tie-up for a calendar month. Vessels in the Rockall squid fishery could tie-up for two months at these rates. In total, some 179 vessels availed of this scheme at a cost of €10 million.
I introduced this tie-up scheme again in May and it will operate until November this year. To further assist the fishing fleet in these difficult times, I am allowing each vessel to receive aid for 2 months in 2022.
Already, some 67 vessel owners received aid of €4.3 million for the month of June and a further 43 vessel owners will receive aid of €2.4 million for the month of July. Some 65 applications have been received for August, which will result in a further €3.2m in payments to vessel owners.
For the inshore fleet, a Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme operated over January to March and was availed of by 771 inshore fishing vessel owners at a cost of €2.6 million.
The scheme provided aid of €2,700 to owners of vessels under 8 metres and €4,000 to owners of vessels of 8 to 18 metres. In addition, a Brexit Inshore Marketing Scheme is under way and is investing €600,000 in 2022 in promoting stocks of interest to inshore fishers to support prices at the quayside.
Separately, a €45 million Brexit Processing Capital Support Scheme is open for applications at present, with the aim of supporting the seafood processing sector to engage in transformational change, mitigating the effects of Brexit, and assisting the sector to move further up the supply chain to produce higher value seafood products. Grants of up to 50% for capital investment are available.
For coastal communities, a €25 million Brexit Blue Economy Enterprise Development Scheme is open for applications and aims to counter the adverse economic and social consequences of Brexit on businesses operating in the blue economy in our coastal regions. The scheme offers aid of up to €200,000 for capital investments and also offers aid for training and mentoring.
Further support schemes are anticipated in coming months, including a voluntary decommissioning scheme, subject to State Aid clearance.
In relation to the impacts of increased energy costs arising from the Russian aggression against Ukraine, Government is acutely conscious of the impacts across the economy. I recognise that the seafood sector is facing particular challenges, arising from the combination of Brexit and increased energy costs.
On 6th July, I met with representatives of the fishing, aquaculture and processing sectors to discuss a number of important issues facing our seafood sector, including Brexit and increased energy costs. The meeting gave me the opportunity to engage directly with industry representatives and to hear first-hand their concerns and priorities.
I continue to engage with industry representatives on these priority matters.