Marine Fund Scotland 2023 to 2024: guidance

Eligibility criteria for the Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24

All applications to the Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24 will first be assessed against a number of eligibility criteria. Applications must meet all of these eligibility criteria in order to move to the next stage of the assessment process. Applications from new entrants to the fishing sector are required to meet additional eligibility criteria on top of the general eligibility criteria. These additional criteria are set out in the 'Young Fishers section' of these Guidance notes.

The eligibility criteria for the Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24 are as follows:

• the proposed project is within the scope of Scottish Ministers' grant funding powers under the Fisheries Act 2020, which are being relied upon (as set out in the 'What legislative powers are being used to deliver funding through the Marine Fund Scotland?' section of these General Guidance notes), in that the project falls within the specific purposes for which Scottish Ministers can offer funding and that the proposed project is in relation to Scotland, the Scottish zone or Scottish fishing boats.
• the proposed project must not be in any of the categories that Marine Fund Scotland funding cannot be applied for (as set out at Annex B).
• any fisheries subsidies must not increase the catching capacity of the fishing vessels or assist with the targeting of fish stocks.
• any subsidies must not support illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
• any subsidies being applied for will not enable an increase in activities that would negatively affect the exploitation of fish stocks.
• applicants (persons, organisations, businesses, etc.) have not committed an offence that the Scottish Ministers consider to be a 'serious infringement' within the last 36 months (or longer, depending on the severity of the infringement), or of fraud. 'Serious infringements' are defined in Annex C of these General Guidance notes. Applicants must immediately notify us at MFS@gov.scot if they or any other partner(s) in the project (or their organisation) is found to have committed fraud or a serious infringement prior to submitting the application or at any time up to five years from the date of receiving the final instalment of the grant.
• applicants are solvent and are able to undertake the work paid for by the grant.
• the funding being applied for, together with business capital and any approved loans, is sufficient to complete the project fully and successfully within the timescales set out in the application.
• there is sufficient capital and/or loans to complete the project in full, or the relevant phases of the project, prior to payment in full of any Marine Fund Scotland grant (offered at the applicable grant rate, which can be up to a specified maximum percentage of the total eligible project costs or total eligible costs of project phases). For further explanation of grant rates, see the 'Grant rates' section of these General Guidance notes.
• applicants have all necessary legal permissions for the project in place, such as relevant licences, outline planning permission, etc., and provide evidence of this.
• applicants set out their commitment to the Fair Work First criteria in a way that is relevant and proportionate for their organisation and confirm they are providing appropriate channels for effective workers' voice and paying at least the real Living Wage. More information on the Fair Work First criteria and what this means is provided in the 'Fair Work First' section of these General Guidance notes.
• any parent companies/parties with an interest in the application do not have interests or priorities that conflict with the intended outcomes of the Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24.

Applicants/applications will be asked to disclose any and all links to Russia or Belarus (including through parent companies, Persons of Significant Control, etc.). Any applications with links to Russia or Belarus will be subject to legal advice and could be rejected.

Applicants will also be asked to disclose any relevant funding they have received from the Scottish Government (including the Marine Fund Scotland and the European, Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)) within the last five financial years, to allow checks to be made on whether conditions attached to previous funding were complied with.

If you aren't sure whether your project is eligible to apply to the Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24, feel free to get in touch. We can be contacted at MFS@gov.scot.

As will be set out in any grant offer letter issued to a successful applicant for funding, the Scottish Ministers may re-assess, vary, make a deduction from, withhold, or require immediate repayment of the grant or any part of it in certain circumstances. These circumstances include the event that in the Scottish Ministers' opinion, the grant is likely to bring the reputation of the Scottish Ministers into disrepute. This may include the identification of any links between the applicant, or use of the grant, with Russia or Belarus.