Aquaculture Industry Development Program Guidelines

The NSW Government has established the Aquaculture Industry Development Program, with funding of up to $20 million available to support the NSW aquaculture sector.

The program aims to:

• support the NSW Aquaculture Vision Statement to increase farmgate production in the aquaculture sector by 2030 and drive productivity in commercial fishing
• support regional businesses to modernise to increase productivity, exports, resilience to climate change impacts, contribution to net zero and/or circular economy targets
• build regional capability in sustainable seafood and marine bioproducts.

The program is a $20 million investment from the Regional Development Trust (the Trust) and aligns to the sustainable regional industries key focus area that aims to enable regional industries to grow and adapt with structural and environmental change.

The objective of the program is to:

• increase regional aquaculture and commercial fishing industries access to new and expanding markets
• leverage opportunities associated with environmental and market changes to position NSW as the market leader in sustainable seafood and marine bioproducts.

Who can apply

Stream-specific criteria

Applicants for Stream 1 funding: commercial fishing endorsement holders, aquaculture permit holders, relevant natural resource management organisations, Aboriginal organisations and businesses, key associations or peak bodies, research organisations including Australian universities, post-harvest sector organisations whose primary income is from sale of aquaculture and commercial fishing products

Applicants for Stream 2 funding: same as Stream 1, with the addition of private sector entities that can demonstrate activities that service a market for aquaculture waste products in the circular economy.

General criteria

To be eligible for grant funding, an applicant must be one of the following:

• a company incorporated in Australia (under the Corporations Act 2001)
• an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation (under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006)
• an incorporated trustee of an Australian-based trust
• an incorporated association (under the NSW Associations Incorporation Act 2009) or co-operative (under the NSW Co-operatives Act 1992)
• an Australian university (higher education provider registered under the Higher Education Support Act 2003)
• a sole trader
• a partnership under Australian taxation law

To be eligible for grant funding, an applicant must meet all of the following requirements:

• have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• be financially viable and able to demonstrate that
• hold or commit to obtaining public liability insurance of not less than $20 million per occurrence
• be a fit and proper person/legal entity
• not be insolvent, bankrupt or subject to ongoing legal proceedings
• declare in the application form that the applicant is not aware of any issues which could cause reputational or other risks to the NSW Government
• have previous project delivery experience (or ability to access the necessary expertise and support)
• if applicable, provide evidence of capacity to make the minimum co-contribution if successful
• be registered in one of the following Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) codes:
  • 02 Aquaculture (or any sub-category or class within this code)
  • 041 Fishing (or any sub-category or class within this code)
  • 0529 Other Agriculture and Fishing Support Services
  • 691 Scientific Research Services or 699 Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
  • 81 Tertiary Education (or any sub-category or class within this code)

Where an applicant is not registered in one of the above ANZSIC codes, the applicant must provide further information in their application to support their suitability for funding under this program. Eligibility of applicants with ANZSIC registration other than the above will be considered at the discretion of the department.

Aboriginal businesses and organisations, including Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations, are strongly encouraged to apply.

Location that are eligible include Albury City, Armidale Regional, Ballina, Balranald, Bathurst Regional, Bega Valley, Bellingen, Berrigan, Bland, Blayney, Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Broken Hill, Byron, Cabonne, Carrathool, Central Coast, Central Darling, Cessnock, Clarence Valley, Cobar, Coffs Harbour, Coolamon, Coonamble, Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional, Cowra, Dubbo Regional, Dungog, Edward River, Eurobodalla, Federation, Forbes, Gilgandra, Glen Innes Severn, Goulburn Mulwaree, Greater Hume Shire, Griffith, Gunnedah, Gwydir, Hay, Hilltops, Inverell, Junee, Kempsey, Kiama, Kyogle, Lachlan, Lake Macquarie, Leeton, Lismore, Lithgow City, Liverpool Plains, Lockhart, Lord Howe Island - Unincorporated Area, Maitland, Mid-Coast, Mid-Western Regional, Moree Plains, Murray River, Murrumbidgee, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Valley, Narrabri, Narrandera, Narromine, Newcastle, Oberon, Orange, Parkes, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional, Richmond Valley, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Singleton, Snowy Monaro Regional, Snowy Valleys, Tamworth Regional, Temora, Tenterfield, Tweed, Unincorporated Far West, Upper Hunter, Upper Lachlan Shire, Uralla, Wagga Wagga, Walcha, Walgett, Warren, Warrumbungle, Weddin, Wentworth, Wingecarribee, Wollongong, Yass Valley