Scope of the programme

• Countries impacted: All 27 EU Member States
• Thematic axis: To mitigate the adverse effects of climate transition by supporting the most affected territories and workers concerned and to promote a balanced socio-economic transition.
• Funding programme lineage (EU, national, regional): regional. In the Irish EU JTF context, the regions and communities in the Midlands that are most affected by the transition to climate neutrality: the full counties of Laois, Westmeath, Offaly, Longford and Roscommon and the municipal districts of Ballinasloe in Galway, Carrick-on-Suir and Thurles in Tipperary, and Athy and Clane in Kildare.

Description of the project

• Project objective(s): Develop a “catch and release” fishing initiative as a guiding service under the principles of eco guiding in Ireland.
• Duration: 4 months
• Main activities: Acquire a fishing boat suitable for operations, obtain comprehensive insurance coverage for the boat and business activities and secure all required legal licenses and permits to operate as a commercial fishing business in Ireland.
• Outputs: N/a.

Type of application

• Single applicant: Yes
• Consortium members: N/a
• Subcontractor: No

Success Factors

• Strategic fit with call priorities
• Emphasising the uniqueness of the local area, showcasing its rare and largely unseen natural landscape as a valuable and exclusive tourist experience.
• Positioning the project as nature-friendly, highlighting that although it involves fishing, it is specifically fly fishing, a method widely recognised as a low-impact and environmentally conscious practice.

Barriers & Challenges

• Lack of support ecosystem
• Received external support from the Irish Tourist Board and from a Local Enterprise Office, the latter providing guidance through a public procurement mentor.
• Participated in public information sessions as part of the local support ecosystem.
• Although support from the ecosystem was available, it often arrived too late and ultimately offered limited practical value.

Lessons learned

Apply a Methodological Framework Steps for Ensuring Strong Project–Programme Alignment:

• Conduct a comprehensive analysis and diagnostic review of the EU programme, examining its strategic objectives, priorities, eligibility criteria, and expected impacts.
• Define the programme’s objectives in detail, breaking them down into specific, actionable components to fully understand what the funding body aims to achieve.
• Match each programme objective with elements of the proposed project, ensuring clear, direct connections between the programme’s priorities and the project’s planned activities, outcomes, and added value.
• Adapt and refine the project design where necessary, aligning its scope, methodology, sustainability approach, and expected results to better reflect and support the programme’s goals.

Ensuring Full Compliance with Legal Regulations:
 

• Develop a thorough understanding of all relevant legal regulations and operational limitations applicable to the proposed project, including sector-specific requirements, licensing obligations, environmental rules, and any local compliance frameworks.
• Identify potential legal risks early on, acknowledging that certain regulatory issues may arise during implementation. Even if such risks do not ultimately materialise, proactively assessing them strengthens project feasibility and credibility.
• Ensure full awareness of all local legislative requirements, as compliance is the responsibility of the project promoter, not the funding authority. EU funders generally assume that applicants understand and can manage their legal obligations, rather than verifying every detail themselves.