Fishers and vessel owners in Wales will be able to apply to a £400,000 fund from 3 April 2023 to adapt to the rapidly changing market conditions for seafood products, Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has announced.
The support is from the European Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF) which is co-financed by the Welsh Government and the European Commission.
The EMFF’s Standard Costs Scheme will support purchases from a pre-determined list of eligible equipment, at standard costs, allowing fishers and vessel owners to add value to their catch to make the overall enterprise more sustainable.
Examples of equipment include ice bins, shellfish tanks, and vessel and shore-based scales.
Applicants can benefit from grant funding of up to 80% towards the cost of capital equipment. The maximum grant award from the funding available is £30,000.
The application window will open on 3 April 2023 and close on 12 May 2023.
To apply for funding from the scheme, applicants must be registered with Rural Payments Wales (RPW) Online.
Ahead of the date, details of the scheme guidance are available now and can be found at Support for added value, product quality and use of unwanted catches: standard cost applications guidance.