Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

573. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the fishing industry continues to provide employment in all areas throughout the country, directly and in the value-added food sector; his plans for the expansion in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14891/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The seafood sector provides employment for approximately 11,000 people in peripheral coastal communities.

Following its adoption in December, Ireland’s new €240 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme was launched in January 2016. This new Programme will be the principal source of public investment in our seafood sector up to at least 2020.

Through FoodWise, Harvesting Our Ocean Wealth, the National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development and this new EMFF Operational Programme, I am targeting growth of the seafood industry to €1 billion in sales by 2020, with growth in employment of 3,000 extra jobs.

Seafood is widely recognised as a high-growth area of our economy. Indeed, aquaculture and seafood processing are also recognised as potential high-growth sectors at EU level and globally. The new EMFF Operational Programme will be a key element in achievement of the growth potential of our seafood sector. It will provide the capital to assist seafood enterprises to sustainably grow their production, add value to our seafood exports and create much needed employment in our coastal communities.

The Government has made available almost €30 million over the course of the EMFF OP for sustainable development of aquaculture, with €33 million available for investment in marketing and processing of seafood, €67 million for investment in fisheries and €12 million for investment in economic development of fishing communities.

Following on from the launch of the EMFF OP, I was delighted to announce in May the award of €4.3 million in EMFF grant aid to 51 seafood enterprises that will be the catalyst for €21 million in total investment by these enterprises. Some €3.4 million of that grant aid was awarded to 27 enterprises under the Seafood Capital Investment Scheme.  These particular investments alone are projected to create 316 jobs by 2019 and additional sales of €77 million by 2019. I expect to announce further grant offers under the EMFF OP as the year progresses.