The NSW Government is offering low interest rate loans to assist commercial fishers and aquaculture farmers to identify and address risks to their business, improve permanent assets and infrastructure, ensure long term productivity and sustainable use of the marine, estuarine and land-based environment.

The Seafood Innovation Fund will assist investment into four key areas:

• Preparedness - adaptability to changing seasonal conditionals or climatic events of floods or droughts.
• Environment - ensuring equipment has a minimal impact on the environment.
• Fishing and Aquaculture Farming Equipment and Assets - replacement of unsafe or inefficient assets.
• Transport & Logistics - ensuring that product reaches markets in optimum condition.

Find out what you can apply for:

The Seafood Innovation Fund is available to commercial fishers and aquaculture farmers in NSW to meet the cost of carrying out permanent capital works that will; improve assets and infrastructure, identify and address risks, help build resilience to changes in seasonal conditions and ensure long term productivity and sustainable use of the marine and land-based environment. Download the Guidelines for full details of eligibility (sections 9-10).

Whay you will need:

• For your application you will need a copy of the following documents:
• Signed Mortgage Lenders Consent Form from your existing mortgagee.
• Last 3 years balance sheets and Financial Statements of your farm enterprise. (These include Profit and Loss Statements, Stock Trading account and Depreciation schedules)
• Last 3 years individual Taxation Returns and a current listing of all Assets & Liabilities held by each: Individual members of a Partnership/ Family Trust and Individual Director(s)/Shareholder(s) of all Companies.
• Trust Deed (if applicable)
• Copy of Business and Risk Assessment Plan
• Monthly Cash Flow Budget for the next 12 months
• Copy of current LGA (council) rates and LLS rates notice(s) for property(s) where the work is to be completed, if applicable.

Apply Online

The online application form has been designed to make the process as simple as possible. We recommend that you have all scanned documents ready to upload before starting the process. We recommend that you use the Google Chrome browser.

Claim invoice payment:

You will need:

• BP reference number
• ABN number
• Case number from original application
• Invoices

Total funding = $1,000,000,000

As of 1 September 2023

• Farm Innovation Funds approved - $679,070,042.
• Seafood Innovation Funds approved - $10,966,941.
• Drought Assistance Funds approved - $181,377,050.
• Remaining funding - $128,585,967