Minister Simon Coveney has welcomed the announcement by his Fine Gael colleague, Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D. of the award of more than €210,000 in grants to 6 seafood enterprises here in Cork under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) Operational Programme for the seafood sector.

“This round will see a substantial increase in funding for aquaculture enterprises, which is most welcome. This money will help our seafood businesses in areas like business development and planning as well as allowing them to purchase the necessary equipment to help them grow.

“Seafood businesses here in Cork will continue benefit from this scheme, which will continue until 2020. I hope this funding will have a positive knock on effect on our costal communities.

Announcing the funding, Minister Creed said, “In March, I announced EMFF grant awards of €1.8 million to seafood enterprises throughout Ireland. I am delighted to now announce a further €1.3 million in EMFF grant awards to 19 seafood enterprises.  Grants of almost €1 million are being offered to 10 aquaculture enterprises. Nine of these will further develop our oyster production, while the other concerns mussels. Taken together with the earlier awards in March, this means grant offers of nearly €2 million have already been made this year to 18 aquaculture enterprises and are supporting €5 million in aquaculture capital investments.

Fine Gael is determined that our continuing economic resurgence is felt in all our communities, by supporting sustainable jobs and through strategic investment.

The Cork companies benefitting from the funding including Good Fish Processing Shellfish de la Mer, Keohane Seafoods, Jade Ireland Seafood, Turkhead Enterprises and Ocean Run.