Ireland’s small-scale coastal fishers have their own dedicated grant window open right now — and it pays far more, proportionally, than the bigger-boat schemes. Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) is accepting applications under the Small-Scale Coastal Fishers Scheme (SSCF), offering an 80% grant on eligible investments, capped at €30,000 per vessel for this call. Applications close at 5pm on 17 December 2026.
Images in this post are illustrations, not photographs of the scheme or its applicants.
Scheme at a Glance
| Scheme | Small-Scale Coastal Fishers Scheme (SSCF), administered by BIM |
| Programme | European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) Operational Programme |
| Grant rate | 80% of eligible expenditure |
| Cap per vessel | €30,000 for this call — one application per vessel |
| Onshore buildings cap | €20,000 (where a project includes buildings) |
| Current call | Open now — closes 5pm, 17 December 2026 |
| Call budget | To be confirmed (BIM lists it as TBC) |
| Status on 26 October 2026 | OPEN — BIM scheme page shows status “Open” |
What the Grant Funds
BIM describes the SSCF scheme as a “one stop shop” for small-scale fishers because, unlike the larger-vessel scheme, it covers both onboard and onshore investments. Eligible investments must serve one of five objectives:
- Selective fishing: gear that improves size or species selectivity and reduces unwanted catches.
- Energy efficiency: equipment that cuts pollutant or greenhouse-gas emissions and improves vessel or onshore energy efficiency, plus energy-efficiency audits.
- Hygiene, health and safety: onboard investments that improve hygiene, health, safety and working conditions beyond what the law already requires.
- Quality: innovative investments that improve fish quality or add value, including letting fishers process their own catches.
- Traceability: purchase and installation of the hardware and software needed to trace fishery products.
Where a project includes buildings of any kind, grant aid for the buildings is capped at €20,000, and planning permission — or a Section 5 declaration that the works are exempt — must be included with the application, or it will be ruled ineligible.
Who Can Apply
The scheme is for owners of SSCF vessels: under 12 metres overall length that do not fish with towed gear — typically potting and other fixed-gear boats. Applicants must:
- Own a vessel registered on the Irish Fleet Register at the time of application;
- Have been actively fishing in the two calendar years before the year of application — for vessels under 10m, proven by sales notes of at least €1,000 registered with the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) in each of the two years; for vessels of 10m or more, by logbooks showing at least 60 days at sea across the two years.
Vessels bought from outside the EU — BIM gives Scotland as the example — qualify only if the vessel is on the Irish Fleet Register by the date the claim is submitted.
Three Conditions That Can Kill an Application
- Do not start work early. Some applications get a pre-project site visit; if work has commenced before that visit, the application is deemed ineligible and closed.
- Do not spend before the assessment outcome email. Any expenditure incurred, or invoices dated, before that email will not be grant-aided. Even after the email, spending is at your own risk — it does not guarantee an offer, and the amount approved may be less than applied for.
- Itemise installation costs separately on quotes and invoices; installation support may be capped at a reasonable percentage of the item’s cost.
Not the Same as Ireland’s Other Two Schemes
Three BIM schemes are open at once, and picking the wrong one wastes a call:
- SSCF (this scheme): 80%, €30,000 cap, under-12m non-towed vessels, onboard and onshore.
- Sustainable Fisheries Scheme: 50%, €125,000 cap per call (€250,000 lifetime), for non-SSCF vessels, onboard investments only, same 17 December 2026 deadline.
- Young Fisher Scheme: 40%, €250,000 cap, for under-40s buying their first vessel or a share of at least 33%, deadline 5pm 13 January 2027.
How to Apply
Read the Guidelines for Applicants on BIM’s scheme page, then apply online through the BIM Grants Portal. BIM also runs applicant information sessions at 3pm on Monday 9 November and Monday 30 November 2026. Fishers considering an application are encouraged to contact their local BIM Fisheries Regional Development Officer as early as possible — BIM stresses early engagement when preparing applications.
Sources & Fact-Check Note
Figures and dates verified 26 October 2026 against BIM’s official Small-Scale Coastal Fishers Scheme page (status: Open; closing date 5pm 17 December 2026; 80% grant rate; €30,000 per-vessel cap; one application per vessel; €20,000 buildings cap; SSCF definition under 12m and no towed gear; active-fishing tests; site-visit and expenditure rules) and BIM’s announcement of Minister Dooley’s reopening of the fisheries grant aid schemes. The call budget is listed by BIM as TBC, so no total budget figure is claimed here. Readers should verify the official guidelines on bim.ie before applying, as summaries do not replace the official rules. No expired windows: the 17 December 2026 deadline is in the future as of publication.