Displaying items by tag: Fisheries Local Action Groups

25th March 2022

Marine Minister Announces €25m Brexit Fisheries Local Action Group Scheme to Promote ‘Blue Economy’ in Coastal Communities

Marine Minister Charlie McConalogue has announced a new Brexit mitigation scheme to promote the blue economy and to be delivered through the seven Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs).

Announcing the scheme in his opening address at the Irish Skipper Expo in Limerick today (Friday 25 March), Minister McConalogue said it is “designed to assist coastal communities to overcome the impacts of Brexit and grow and diversify their local economies by promoting the growth of the wider blue economy”.

He continued: “The Brexit Blue Economy Enterprise Development Scheme will have a €25 million budget for the years 2022 and 2023, funded under the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve. The scheme will offer grants of up to €200,000 for entrepreneurial initiatives by micro and small enterprises operating in the blue economy, within the 10km coastal remit of the seven FLAGs.

“Stimulating entrepreneurial activity in the blue economy will provide a post-Brexit stimulus to the economies of our coastal communities.

“The scheme will support capital investment projects and business mentoring and capacity development by enterprises engaged in the blue economy and also upskilling and training to support individuals to build on their existing skills and knowledge to develop new complementary skills that will enable them to exploit economic opportunities in the blue economy.”

Minister McConalogue also announced the implementation of a further recommendation of the Seafood Task Force: a Brexit Inshore Marketing Scheme designed to assist the inshore fisheries sector to mitigate the impacts of Brexit by growing value in existing markets and developing new markets.

“As part of this scheme, I have approved Bord Bia’s marketing plan for 2022 for inshore fisheries products and this will focus on supporting the sales and promotion of inshore species such as Irish crab, lobster, whelks, inshore herring/mackerel and line caught hake and pollock on both the domestic and export markets,” he said.

“The plan was developed by Bord Bia in consultation with industry stakeholders and the main inshore exporters and processors. The 2022 marketing plan will have a budget of €615,000.”

Continuation of both schemes after 2023 will be examined as part of the development of the forthcoming Seafood Development Programme, as recommended by the Seafood Task Force.

Further details will be available from Bord Iascaigh Mhara.

Published in Fishing

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Fisheries Local Action Groups Award 62 Grants Totalling More Than €900K

Local coastal community groups and micro enterprises will benefit among 62 grants worth more than €900,000 awarded by Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs) under Ireland’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Programme (EMFF).

Announcing the grant awards totalling €915,295, Marine Minister Charlie McConalogue hailed the success of the FLAG scheme and said: “This is testament not just to the demand for such local development funding in our coastal communities but very much to the hard work of the local volunteers, many drawn from our seafood and wider marine sectors, who make up the boards of each of our seven FLAGs.”

The minister added: “I believe that the FLAG initiative has significant additional potential in the years ahead to further drive start-ups and the development of seafood and marine businesses in our coastal communities and can be a key element of our strategy in mitigating the impacts of Brexit on our coastal communities.”

Among the recipients in this final allocation are a festival to celebrate Bantry Bay botanist Ellen Hutchins and a feasibility study for renewable energy generation on Achill Island.

The FLAG scheme is now closed, having expended its full allocation, and the minister’s department says a process will be initiated as part of the preparation of the new Seafood Development Programme 2021-27 to appoint FLAGs for the next programme period from 2022.

FLAG	Projects	Total Investment	Grant Awards
West	4	€82,704	€42,158
North West	16	€568,752	€272,959
North	10	€618,558	€306,347
North East	3	€56,534	€45,227
South East	4	€49,265	€38,236
South West	12	€247,334	€107,842
South	13	€193,729	€102,523
TOTAL	62	€1,816,879	€915,295

Details of the individual grant awards are set out below (applicant; project title; suppprt rate; total investment; grant aid):

FLAG West

Séamus O'Flatharta; Inis Oírr Glamping and Campsite; 40%; €17,460; €6,984
Oranmore Castle; Oranmore Castle Cultural Centre; 40%; €42,553; €17,021
Cuan Beo CLG Cuan Beo; Implementing a holistic approach to sustainability in Galway Bay 2020; 80%; €16,191; €12,953
Spiddal Craft & Design Centre; Online marketing campaign; 80%; €6,500; €5,200

FLAG North West

Ballyglass Crew; Ballyglass Crew Yachtmaster; 50%; €5,300; €2,650
Eachtrai UISCE Teoranta T/A UISCE; Training application; 50%; €21,741; €10,870
Sligo Rowing Club Co Ltd; Purchase of safety launch boat; 80%; €9,185; €7,348
Bellacragher Boat Club; Printing of Claggan Ferry maps, drop-down banners, social media promotion, signs and provision of two RIB shore trailers; 60%; €15,539; €9,323
Todhchaí Phobail Acla; To assess the feasibility of Achill Island becoming a community owned electricity and hydrogen producer through wind power; 80%; €24,280; €19,424
Ballycroy Community Council Ltd; Ballycroy Greenway Desktop feasibility with potential design works; 80%; €15,000; €12,000
Mayo County Council; Feasibility study on the construction of a slipway on Clare Island; 60%; €25,000; €15,000
Mayo County Council; Westport Lido (outdoor swimming pool - tidal); 50%; €24,944; €12,500
The Lost Valley; Support coastal heritage and tourism by improvements to access route; 40%; €99,518; €39,807
Rosses Point Development Association CLG & Sligo County Council; Feasibility Study for Sligo Community Boat Park; 25%; €193,860; €48,465
Belderrig Dev Committee Ltd; Restoration of road to carpark at Belderrig Harbour; 50%; €41,841; €20,920
Tullaghan Development Association; Developing marine tourism for Co Leitrim; 80%; €1,861; €1,489
St Colman's Care Centre CLG; St Colman's Care Centre - upgrade existing facilities and equipment; 80%; €56,515; €45,212
River Moy Search and Rescue Ballina CLG; Water conservation in the Moy Catchment area; 80%; €6,096; €4,877
Leitrim County Council; Feasibility study - Exploring sea access at Leitrim consultation scoping document - Wild Atlantic Way; 100%; €3,075; €3,075
Neart Acla CTR; Achill Traditional Currach Project; 80%; €24,996; €19,996

FLAG North

Iontaobhas Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair; Rochtain do chathaoireacha rothaí, ráillí láimhe agus balla carrchlóis; 80%; €44,000; €35,200
Glenties Community Playgroup Limited; To develop a creative and imaginative outdoor environment which will be designed to a nautical pirate theme; 80%; €39,500; €31,600
Ardara Artists Resource Centre; Renovate existing building in Ardara to enable it to be used by the community; 80%; €48,750; €39,000
St Catherine’s Vocational School; Learning in area of cultural, arts, marine; 80%; €49,455; €39,564
Donegal County Council; Provision of scenic viewing points and improved tourism access at Melmore, Downings, Donegal; 60%; €52,300, €31,380.00
18th Donegal Moville Port Sea Scouts; RYA Level 1 & 2 Power Boat, RYA Foundation Safety Rescue Training, RYA Sail Training; 51% €4,800; €2,448
Cara Na nOilean Teo; Modernisation of ferry Coll; 32%; €96,087; €30,747.84
Mullinasole Bay Water Sports Club; Mullinasole Bay Access Regeneration Phase 1; 51%; €63,400; €32,334
KT Nets; Upgrade of facilities at KT Nets; 32%; €128,666; €41,173.12
Teach Bhillie; Síneadh agus uasghradú le foirgneach Theach Bhillie; 25%; €91,600; €22,900

FLAG North East

Baldoyle Forum CLG; Baldoyle Community Hall Development Feasibility Study; 80%; €10,000; €8,000
Rush Tourism; Pirate sculpture for Rush; 80%; €11,604; €9,283
Skerries Rowing Club; Design team fees for Skerries Rowing Club boathouse; 80%; €34,930; €27,944

FLAG South East

Ladies Cove Community Coastal Project; Improvement works to Ladies Cove; 80%; €30,687; €24,549
Bannow Historical Society; Training in maritime heritage preservation and celebration; 80%; €12,728; €10,182
Passage East Hurling Club; Beat the Ferryman Swim; 60%; €1,670; €1,000
Hook Rural Tourism Ltd; Hike to the Hook 2020 and social media development; 60%; €4,180; €2,504

FLAG South West

Valentia Island Way; Cookery school and demonstration kitchen; 37%; €21,657; €7,997
Irish Coastal Rowing Federation; All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships 2021; 80%; €20,548; €16,438
Dingle Sea Safari Limited; Passenger vessel; 50%; €50,460; €25,000
Patrick Browne; Supply of local markets with fish from boat to table directly from MFV Ocean Dawn; 50%; €5,340; €2,670
Badoiri an Bhlascaoid Teoranta; Self-drive hire boats; 25%; €44,142; €11,035
Kerry Aqua Terra Limited; Boat, equipment and crew protection from elements; 50%; €4,950; €2,475
The Dingle Way Coastal Trail; Cultural marine information boards and seating areas; 80%; €12,196; €9,757
Valentia Rowing Club; One design rowing racing boat and oars, traditional four-oar boat trailer and launching trolley; 77%; €6,500; €5,000
Irish Elasmobranch Group; Underwater survey drone; 80%; €8,480; €6,784
Blascaoid Mór Teoranta; Equipment boat package; 25%; €23,163; €5,790
Dingle Harbour Boat Hire; Purchase of equipment and boats; 28%; €47,894; €13,293
Éigse na Brídeoige; Éigse Online: a series of performances, talks, seminars and interviews on the song tradition of Kerry; 80%; €2,000; €1,600

FLAG South

Cumann Na Daoine; Building community resilience and understanding of climate change as it will impact very directly on coastal communities; 80%; €6,751; €5,401
Ellen Hutchins Festival; She Gathered Seaweed on the Seashore: Celebrating the Botany of Bantry Bay; 62%; €3,250; €2,000
Ard na Gaoithe; Support to sustain and diversify Ard na Gaoithe B&B and Cape Clear Foodie Stall; 40%; €2,562; €1,024
Roaring Water Marine; Equipment to expand business; 50%; €1,719; €859
Bantry Bay Boat Hire Limited; New kayaks, equipment and boat engine; 50%; €9,325; €4,662
Roaring Water Sea Vegetable Company Limited; Processing unit; 50%; €17,490; €8,745
Schull Regatta; Schull Regatta 2021; 40%; €4,821; €2,000
Galley Flash Rowing Club; Maximising equipment resources 2021 Sculling Oars; 80%; €1,060; €848
Skibbereen Rowing Club; Safety launch; 80%; €8,275; €6,620
ZT Fish Company Limited; Mobile retail unit; 50%; €23,495; €11,747
Travara Shellfish Limited; Infrastructure and equipment; 50%; €23,827; €11,913
Myross Rowing Club Company Limited; Club fleet upgrade; 65%; €7,750; €5,000
Allihies Seafood Limited; Developing a sustainable micro-algae cultivation and processing facility; 50%; €83,401; €41,700

Published in Coastal Notes

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Skibbereen Rowing Club is One of 62 Groups to Benefit From Fisheries Local Action Grants

The home of this week's Olympic Gold medallist scullers, Skibbereen Rowing Club in West Cork, is one of 62 coastal community groups that has received funding today by Fisheries Local Action Groups under the Department’s EMFF Programme.

Marine Minister Charlie McConalogue T.D announced the grants worth €915,295 by the seven Fisheries Local Action Groups.

The home club of Olympic champions Fintan McCarthy and Paul O'Donovan was awarded €6,620 under the scheme for a new safety boat. Neighbouring Schull Regatta in West Cork was awarded €2,000 for its 2021 Regatta.

In the border region, Rosses Point Development Association CLG & Sligo County Council received €48,465 for a feasibility study for Sligo Community Boat Park. Sligo Rowing Club Co Ltd also received a grant to purchase a safety launch boat of €7,348.

The grants are awarded to mostly local community groups and micro-enterprises. The grants are co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union.

2021 FLAG grant awards

Announcing the grant awards, Minister McConalogue said: “The FLAG Scheme under my Department’s EMFF Seafood Development Programme has been a huge success. With the grant awards I am announcing today, the seven FLAGs have successfully dispersed their full €12 million allocations under my Department’s EMFF Programme.

In other marine leisure related grants announced as part of the FLAG scheme, Valentia Rowing Club in County Kerry was awarded €5,000 towards a one design rowing racing boat & oars, a traditional 4 oar boat trailer & launching trolley.

Ballyglass Crew received €2,650 for its Ballyglass Crew Yachtmaster project.

The Irish Coastal Rowing Federation was grant-aided €16,438 for the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships 2021

The FLAG Scheme has been operating since just 2017, following a short pilot in the previous programme and has gone from strength to strength. This is a testament not just to the demand for such local development funding in our coastal communities but very much to the hard work of the local volunteers, many drawn from our seafood and wider marine sectors, who make up the boards of each of our seven FLAGs”.

Minister McConalogue added: “I believe that the FLAG initiative has significant additional potential in the years ahead to drive further start-ups and the development of seafood and marine businesses in our coastal communities and can be a key element of our strategy in mitigating the impacts of Brexit on our coastal communities”.

The FLAG scheme is now closed, having expended its full allocation. A process will be initiated as part of preparing the new Seafood Development Programme 2021-27 to appoint FLAGs for the next programme period.

The new FLAGs will be operational in 2022. To see each of the 62 individual awards click here

Published in News Update

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About The Middle Sea Race

The Rolex Middle Sea Race is a highly rated offshore classic, often mentioned in the same breath as the Rolex Fastnet, The Rolex Sydney–Hobart and Newport-Bermuda as a 'must do' race. The Royal Malta Yacht Club and the Royal Ocean Racing Club co-founded the race in 1968 and 2007 was the 28th Edition. Save for a break between 1984 and 1995 the event has been run annually attracting 25–30 yachts. In recent years, the number of entries has rissen sharply to 68 boats thanks to a new Organising Committee who managed to bring Rolex on board as title sponsor for the Middle Sea Race.

The race is a true challenge to skippers and crews who have to be at their very best to cope with the often changeable and demanding conditions. Equally, the race is blessed with unsurpassed scenery with its course, taking competitors close to a number of islands, which form marks of the course. Ted Turner described the MSR as "the most beautiful race course in the world".

Apart from Turner, famous competitors have included Eric Tabarly, Cino Ricci, Herbert von Karajan, Jim Dolan, Sir Chay Blyth and Sir Francis Chichester (fresh from his round the world adventure). High profile boats from the world's top designers take part, most in pursuit of line honours and the record – competing yachts include the extreme Open 60s, Riviera di Rimini and Shining; the maxis, Mistress Quickly, Zephyrus IV and Sagamore; and the pocket rockets such as the 41-foot J-125 Strait Dealer and the DK46, Fidessa Fastwave.

In 2006, Mike Sanderson and Seb Josse on board ABN Amro, winner of the Volvo Ocean Race, the super Maxis; Alfa Romeo and Maximus and the 2006 Rolex Middle Sea Race overall winner, Hasso Platner on board his MaxZ86, Morning Glory.

George David on board Rambler (ex-Alfa Romeo) managed a new course record in 2007 and in 2008, Thierry Bouchard on Spirit of Ad Hoc won the Rolex Middle Sea Race on board a Beneteau 40.7

The largest number of entries was 78 established in 2008.

Middle Sea Race History

IN THE BEGINNING

The Middle Sea Race was conceived as the result of sporting rivalry between great friends, Paul and John Ripard and an Englishman residing in Malta called Jimmy White, all members of the Royal Malta Yacht Club. In the early fifties, it was mainly British servicemen stationed in Malta who competitively raced. Even the boats had a military connection, since they were old German training boats captured by the British during the war. At the time, the RMYC only had a few Maltese members, amongst who were Paul and John Ripard.

So it was in the early sixties that Paul and Jimmy, together with a mutual friend, Alan Green (later to become the Race Director of the Royal Ocean Racing Club), set out to map a course designed to offer an exciting race in different conditions to those prevailing in Maltese coastal waters. They also decided the course would be slightly longer than the RORC's longest race, the Fastnet. The resulting course is the same as used today.

Ted Turner, CEO of Turner Communications (CNN) has written that the Middle Sea Race "must be the most beautiful race course in the world. What other event has an active volcano as a mark of the course?"

In all of its editions since it was first run in 1968 – won by Paul Ripard's brother John, the Rolex Middle Sea Race has attracted many prestigious names in yachting. Some of these have gone on to greater things in life and have actually left their imprint on the world at large. Amongst these one finds the late Raul Gardini who won line honours in 1979 on Rumegal, and who spearheaded the 1992 Italian Challenge for the America's Cup with Moro di Venezia.

Another former line honours winner (1971) who has passed away since was Frenchman Eric Tabarly winner of round the world and transatlantic races on Penduik. Before his death, he was in Malta again for the novel Around Europe Open UAP Race involving monohulls, catamarans and trimarans. The guest list for the Middle Sea Race has included VIP's of the likes of Sir Francis Chichester, who in 1966 was the first man to sail around the world single-handedly, making only one stop.

The list of top yachting names includes many Italians. It is, after all a premier race around their largest island. These include Navy Admiral Tino Straulino, Olympic gold medallist in the star class and Cino Ricci, well known yachting TV commentator. And it is also an Italian who in 1999 finally beat the course record set by Mistress Quickly in 1978. Top racing skipper Andrea Scarabelli beat it so resoundingly, he knocked off over six hours from the time that had stood unbeaten for 20 years.

World famous round the world race winners with a Middle Sea Race connection include yachting journalist Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Les Williams, both from the UK.

The Maxi Class has long had a long and loving relationship with the Middle Sea Race. Right from the early days personalities such as Germany's Herbert Von Karajan, famous orchestra conductor and artistic director of the Berliner Philarmoniker, competing with his maxi Helisara IV. Later came Marvin Greene Jr, CEO of Reeves Communications Corporation and owner of the well known Nirvana (line honours in 1982) and Jim Dolan, CEO of Cablevision, whose Sagamore was back in 1999 to try and emulate the line honours she won in 1997.

THE COURSE RECORD

The course record was held by the San Francisco based, Robert McNeil on board his Maxi Turbo Sled Zephyrus IV when in 2000, he smashed the Course record which now stands at 64 hrs 49 mins 57 secs. Zephyrus IV is a Rechiel-Pugh design. In recent years, various maxis such as Alfa Romeo, Nokia, Maximus and Morning Glory have all tried to break this course record, but the wind Gods have never played along. Even the VOR winner, ABN AMro tried, but all failed in 2006.

However, George David came along on board Rambler in 2007 and demolished the course record established by Zephyrus IV in 2000. This now stands at 1 day, 23 hours, 55 minutes and 3 seconds.

At A Glance - Middle Sea Race 2024

First held: 1968

Organising Authority: Royal Malta Yacht Club

Start

The 45th Rolex Middle Sea Race will start on Saturday, 19 October 2024.

Grand Harbour, Valletta: seven separate starts, at 10-minute intervals, from 11:00 CEST Saturday, 21 October 2024

Start Line: between the Saluting Battery, Upper Barrakka Gardens (Valletta) and Fort St Angelo (Birgu)

Various vantage points all around the Grand Harbour, high up on the bastions or at water level. Harbour access for spectator boats is restricted during the period of the start.

Course

Set in the heart of the Mediterranean and is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. It starts and finishes in Malta, passes two active volcanoes and takes in the deep azure waters surrounding Sicily, and the Aeolian and Egadi Islands, as well as lonelier outposts of Pantelleria and Lampedusa, both closer to the African continent than Europe.

Length: 606 nautical miles (1,122km)

Outright Race Record: 33h 29m 28s, Argo, United States, Jason Carroll

Monohull Race Record: 40h 17m 50s, Comanche, Cayman Is, Mitch Booth