The European Commission has approved a €15 million Irish State aid scheme for fishing and aquaculture companies facing higher fuel costs linked to the Middle East crisis.
The support will be available to businesses involved in the primary production of fishery and aquaculture products.
The scheme will run until 31 December 2026 and will cover additional fuel costs incurred over five months from March to July 2026.
Aid will be paid as direct grants, with vessel owners receiving support in two ways depending on boat size.
Owners of vessels under six metres long will get a flat-rate payment of €350, while owners of vessels six metres or longer will be reimbursed based on receipted spending up to a maximum of €0.40 per litre of fuel.
How the scheme was approved
The Commission said it cleared the measure under EU State aid rules, using a temporary framework adopted on 29 April 2026 — the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework, known as METSAF.
A non-confidential version of the decision will be published in the Commission’s State aid register under case number SA.123459.
