Funding boost for Donegal aquaculture businesses
Minister announces grants for aquaculture and seafood processing enterprises
Aquaculture and seafood processing enterprises are to receive funding from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Programme (EMFF).
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, today, announced the award of €1,105,022 in grants to 19 aquaculture and seafood processing enterprises.
The Donegal firms receiving funding are: Loughros Beg Specials Limited, Feirm Farraige Oilean Chliara Teoranta, Sliogéisc na Rossan Teoranta, Sliogéisc Inisheane Teoranta and Errigal Bay Limited.
The grants are co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union and are subject to terms and conditions. The grant awards will support total investment in these businesses of €2,957,627.
Minister McConalogue said: “I am delighted to announce today grant awards to a further 16 aquaculture investment projects, adding to the grants to 28 aquaculture projects I announced on March 5.
"Despite the uncertain business environment created by Brexit and Covid, our aquaculture sector is showing a very strong appetite to invest in and grow their businesses.
"Taken together, I have now announced some €2.8 million in grant awards to 44 aquaculture enterprises in 2021 and these awards are supporting €6.9 million of investments in our aquaculture sector.
"County Donegal has accounted for 13 of the aquaculture investment projects supported so far in 2021, while there have been 8 in Kerry and 7 in Cork. Investments on oyster farms have dominated the aquaculture projects supported by my Department’s EMFF Programme in 2021 and some 11 of the 13 Donegal based projects supported have been investments in oyster farms. This places Donegal at the centre of our growing oyster sector," said Minister McConalogue.