European Fisheries Fund

The recent allocation of £1.1million of joint European Fisheries Funding Axis 4 and Dumfries and Galloway Council Funding recognises the importance of fishing communities along the Dumfries and Galloway coastline.

The funding is aimed at delivering the Local Fisheries Development Strategy which sets out local priorities for Dumfries and Galloway. A diverse range of projects are eligible to apply, including projects to provide skills training for local people, enhancing environmental protection, community renewable energy projects and improvements to tourism services to attract more visitors. Beneficiaries will include: micro, small and medium sized enterprises; third sector organisations; and public sector organisations.

Axis 4 of the European Fisheries Fund provides support for the sustainable development of fisheries areas and is available to Fisheries Local Action Groups who represent the fisheries area in which they are based. The aim of Axis 4 is to increase the capacity of local fishing communities and business networks to build knowledge and skills, innovate and co-operate in order to tackle local fisheries development objectives.

Axis 4 supports measures to promote:

· Strengthening the competitiveness of fisheries areas

· Restructuring and redirecting economic activities, in particular by promoting eco-tourism, provided that these actions do not result in an increase in fishing effort

· Diversifying activities through the promotion of multiple employment for fishers through the creation of additional jobs outside the fisheries sector

· Adding value to fisheries products

· Supporting small fisheries and tourism-related infrastructure and services for the benefit of small fisheries communities

· Protecting the environment in fisheries areas to maintain its attractiveness, regenerating and developing coastal hamlets and villages with fisheries activities and protecting and enhancing the natural and architectural heritage

· Promoting inter-regional and trans-national co-operation among groups in fisheries areas, mainly through networking and disseminating best practice

· Acquiring skills and facilitating the preparation and implementation of the local development strategy

The Fisheries Local Action Group is responsible for considering funding for individual applications and will decide on the projects that have the greatest local benefit. Community-driven projects will be encouraged, including those relating to tourism, food and drink, renewable energy, training and environmental protection. Applications will be assessed against the eligibility criteria for Axis 4 as well as the project's contribution towards the Local Fisheries Development Strategy.

Applicants must submit an initial 'Expression of Interest' which will be considered; this Expression of Interest will contain a summary of the project's objectives, costs and level of grant being sought. If the panel considers the application has merit then the organisation will be invited to submit a full application.

As part of the consideration process the decision making panel will consider what level of grant is appropriate and what level of funding should be sourced or provided by the project itself. It is anticipated that most projects will be required to supply between 25% and 50% of the total project costs.

Expression of Interest forms may be submitted at any point until December 2013 when the programme closes. Calls for Stage 2 applications will be made at regular intervals:- please check local press and updates on the website which will alert you to the next application round.

Stage 1 Project Expression of Interest Form [86kb]
Stage 2 Grant Application Form [258kb]
Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) [65kb]
Axis 4 Grant Application Guidance [123kb]
European Fisheries Fund Business Plan [232kb]
European Fisheries Fund Development Strategy [491kb]
European Fisheries Fund Axis 4 Key Themes [55kb]