Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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396. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the maximum grant available under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund sustainable aquaculture scheme has been increased to €1 million; if so, the date from which this is operable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15428/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Since 2016, my Department's €240 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) Operational Programme 2014-20 has been providing a wide range of supports to our seafood sector to foster its sustainable development. Supports to the aquaculture sector are provided through two EMFF schemes, namely a Sustainable Aquaculture Scheme and a Knowledge Gateway Scheme. In line with the objectives of my Department's National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development, the EMFF Knowledge Gateway Scheme seeks to foster innovation and technological development in the aquaculture sector, while the EMFF Sustainable Aquaculture Scheme focuses on promoting capital investment in the sector to incentivise growth in production and value and assist the sector in increasing its sustainability.

The support rates under the Sustainable Aquaculture Scheme were last amended in May 2017 when, with the approval of the stakeholder monitoring committee for the Programme, the maximum grant available was increased from €500,000 to €1 million. Support is provided at 50% of eligible costs for new farmers, 40% for SMEs and 30% for non-SMEs. SMEs can avail of a special higher 50% rate for projects concerning seaweed farming, land-based re-circulating systems, and for Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture.