This article is from page 10 of the 2012-08-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 10 JPG
CLARE fishermen have been urged to take advantage of new opportunities for funding following the creation of the county’s first Fisheries Local Action Group or FLAG.
While the number earning a living from fishing has dwindled in the county over the last 20 years, with only a small number of professional fishermen still in operation in west and north Clare, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) are hoping to restart the local industry and create employment in coastal Clare villages.
The western FLAG, which covers Clare and Galway, met for the first time earlier this month and have been tasked with drawing up a strategy to encourage jobs in the fisheries sector in the two counties.
Clare representation on the group includes Ger Concannon of the West Clare Lobstermen’s Association and Ballyvaughan’s Patrick Mullins of the Galway Bay Inshore Fisherman’s Association.
To qualify for funding under the FLAG scheme, projects must satisfy a number of specific conditions and must be located no more than 10 kilometres from the Clare coastline. This means that suitable projects in towns such as Kilkee, Kilrush, Doolin and Ballyvaughan can all look to take advantage of finding under the programme.
It is as yet unclear how much funding will be made available through the FLAG scheme but it is likely that projects that promote new jobs or the expansion of existing operations will be the most likely to receive funding.
In order to qualify, projects must have a clearly identifiable marine connection or provide a specific benefit to a fishing region. In many cases, beneficiaries of support will be required to be either workers in the fisheries sector or persons with a job linked to the sector.
Bord Iascaigh Mhara has requested suitable companies or individuals in Clare to come forward with proposals to facilitate the drafting of the strategies on behalf of local stakeholders.
For further information on the Clare FLAG programme, or to make a submission to the action plan or a tender application, visit www.bim.ie.