Eat More NSW Seafood Program 2023

The NSW Government wants more local seafood on more NSW plates and is launching a program to boost the value of the NSW seafood industry.

The Eat More NSW Seafood 2023 grants program is designed to build marketing and promotion capability within seafood businesses through small-scale (less than $10,000 excluding GST) and large-scale ($10,000 to $100,000 excluding GST) grants.

The purpose of the campaign is to increase consumption of NSW seafood, drive the value of NSW seafood through increased awareness and consumption, and build industry capabilities and cohesiveness.

Strategic objectives of the campaign are to:

• Promote the sustainability and quality of NSW seafood
• Promote the health benefits of seafood consumption
• Increase consumer purchasing options across a broader range of seafood products
• Educate consumers and the community about the important of sustainable fishing and aquaculture, and how they can help achieve this through their seafood purchasing choices
• Increase awareness of the economic contribution made by NSW seafood production to local and regional communities
• Build support for NSW commercial fishing and aquaculture

The Eat More NSW Seafood 2023 grants program is funded under the Marine Estate Management Strategy. The ten-year strategy was developed by the NSW Marine Estate Management Authority to coordinate management of the marine estate.

Successful Applicants 2023

Total Grants:               $500,000

Program Guidelines

The Eat More NSW Seafood 2023 grants program will be offered in two streams:

• Small-scale (less than $10,000 (excluding GST)
• Large-scale ($10,000 to $100,000 (excluding GST).

The small and large-scale funds are open to owners of a registered seafood business in NSW, NSW commercial fishing licence holders, and NSW fishing business owners, holders of an aquaculture permit in NSW, and seafood industry associations or like-seafood industry entities whose members meet one of the above criteria, and may be delivered in partnership with other producers, retailers and/or marketing/promotional companies.

All project submissions will be assessed under the Program Guidelines.

Eligibility

Applications for Eat More NSW Seafood 2023 grants program must show how projects will deliver on one or more of the following objectives:

• promote the sustainability and quality of NSW seafood
• promote the health benefits of seafood consumption
• increase consumer purchasing options across a broader variety of seafood products
• educate consumers and the general community about the importance of sustainable fishing and aquaculture, and how they can help to achieve this through their seafood purchasing choices
• increase the awareness of the economic and social contributions by NSW seafood production to local and regional communities
• build community support for NSW commercial fishing and aquaculture.

Projects must be completed by 30 June 2024.

Eat More NSW Seafood 2023 grants program will make funding available for projects within NSW and provide opportunities within regional NSW.

Please review the Program Guidelines for further details.

Assessment

Following the review of the applications to confirm that the applicant is eligible an Evaluation Panel will make recommendations to the Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW.

Criteria 1: Attractiveness

• Does the applicant meet the eligibility criteria for applying for a grant under the Program (mandatory requirement)?
• Is the application relevant to the Program Objectives (mandatory requirement)?
• Is the need well-defined?
• Does the application identify the potential beneficiaries and the extent of impact of the project? Is the application supported by the appropriate, industry businesses, communities, consumers and/or other potential beneficiaries?
• Are the planned outcomes well quantified and/or qualified in terms of the economic and/or social benefits to the NSW seafood industry and/or NSW local or regional communities?
• Will the planned outcomes, if achieved, provide a high benefit-cost ratio or a sound return on investment or value for money?
• Is there an appropriate level of collaboration between producers, retailers and/or marketing companies with appropriate expertise?
• Is the applicant, potential beneficiary or other entity making an appropriate financial contribution to the project?
• Does the applicant, potential beneficiary or other entity have the capacity to maintain the marketing or promotion activity beyond the end date of the project (mandatory requirement)?
• Is the project original? Does it add value to other similar activities?

Criteria 2: Feasibility

• Are the project objectives clearly specified, and are they consistent with the defined need?
• Are the marketing or promotion methods well described, and are they consistent with the project objectives?
• Is the delivery mechanism sound and capable of achieving the planned outcomes and within the specified timeframe?
• Does the applicant have the demonstrated capacity, experience, and commitment to achieve the planned outcome through robust project management?
• Do all parties involved have effective financial systems in place, and appropriate insurances (mandatory requirement)?
• For large-scale grants, is the application accompanied by a sound documented business case (mandatory requirement)?
• Is a project budget provided, and is it sound and realistic (mandatory requirement)?

Large scale applicants must submit a detailed financial business case application, to demonstrate how the campaign/activity will be funded and executed.

Applications for the Eat More NSW Seafood 2023 grants program have now closed.

For more information

Questions about the program can be emailed to fisheriesgrants@dpi.nsw.gov.au including queries about eligibility and the application process. More details are available on the Q&A page