The Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D. has announced €3.5 million in new investment for six seafood processing companies, with his Department’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Programme providing grants of €1,081,192. The grants are co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union and are subject to terms and conditions.
Minister Creed said, “In these very challenging times for business generally and notably our seafood sector, I am delighted to support these six companies in building for the future. With our own economy and European and world markets reopening, we can have optimism again for future prosperity and growth.
“These six companies are preparing their businesses to grow exports and value because they have the confidence to know that our seafood sector is a high growth sector and that it will resume its long-term growth pattern now that markets are getting over the recent temporary, albeit severe difficulties.
“The national strategy is to add value wherever possible to our seafood products to ensure those products are well placed in the market. These grants will assist these Irish Seafood companies to deliver on that strategy”.
Minister Creed added “My Department’s present EMFF Programme is ready to assist seafood companies get back to business with capital, innovation, marketing and other supports. From next year, my Department’s new EMFF Programme for the 2021-27 period will commence and will play a major role in assisting the recovery and renewed growth of our seafood sector.”
Grant approvals – Seafood Processing Capital Investment Scheme
| Beneficiary | Location | Project | Total Investment | EMFF Grant |
| Carr & Sons Seafood Ltd. | Mayo | Extension to Modernise Process Facility | €387,141.80 | €116,142.54 |
| Sofrimar
| Wexford | Automated Processing & Packing Line
| €562,035.91 | €168,610.77 |
| Seafood Processors Ltd. | Louth | White Fish Filleting Processing Technology | €370,000.00 | €111,000.00 |
| Good Fish Processing Ltd.
| Cork | Packaging Capacity & Efficiency 2020
| €396,011.00 | €118,803.30 |
| Keohane Seafood | Cork | Improving factory flow, efficiency and environmental sustainability | €1,442,413.26 | €389,895.98 |
| Total: | €3,157,601.97 | €904,452.59 |
Grant approvals – Seafood Scaling & New Market Development Scheme
| Beneficiary | Location | Project | Total Investment | EMFF Grant |
| West Cork Export Market Collective
(Union Hall Smoked Fish Ltd & Keohane Seafood) | Cork | Leveraging Collaboration to boost export sales
| €353,480.00 | €176,740.00 |
| Total: | €353,480.00 | €176,740.00 |
