Skip navigation
ABU Website elements 1880x562

Algal Bloom Fisheries and Aquaculture Assistance Grant

Supporting commercial fisheries and aquaculture licence holders impacted by algal bloom.

Up to $225,000 in grant payments are available through this grant to support licence holders significantly impacted by the algal bloom.

The Algal Bloom Fisheries and Aquaculture Assistance Grant provides up to $100,000 for eligible fisheries and aquaculture licence holders who have been unable to catch or harvest their usual volume, have had to stop operations due to extended harvest closures or have had their licence fees waived. These grants can be used to meet fixed costs and overheads including utilities, rent, finance and interest payments.

Additional grants are now available

From 15 October 2025, if your business previously received this grant under the initial $28 million support package, you can now apply for a second grant of up to $100,000 if you can demonstrate a further three months decline in turnover or catch. Eligible businesses can also receive up to $25,000 in additional funding to support employee wages, meaning the hardest hit businesses may now be entitled to up to $225,000 in total grants.

Applications are open until 31 July 2026.

Is my business eligible?

The first step to qualifying for this grant is to demonstrate business impact. There are three ways you can do this:

  • having fishing licence fees waived by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions; or
  • a 30 per cent or more decline in catch or harvest; or
  • being subject to government harvesting area restrictions or closures (due to elevated levels of brevetoxin).

An eligible applicant must also:

  • be a legal entity established in Australia (a sole trader, company, partnership or trustee of a trust). Incorporated entities must be incorporated in Australia;
  • be a South Australian commercial fisheries or aquaculture licence holder;
  • hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN) as at 1 January 2025;
  • be registered for GST at the time applications opened;
  • demonstrate minimum business turnover of $75,000 in financial year 2023-24 or 2024‑25;
  • have an Australia-wide grouped payroll not greater than $10 million in the financial year 2024-25;
  • derive at least 75 per cent of business turnover directly from commercial activities under the commercial fisheries or aquaculture licence(s).

More information about this grant

Don’t quite meet the requirements of this grant?

Exemptions to the eligibility criteria for this grant can be made in exceptional circumstances.

Our team can work with you to determine if this is appropriate in your case. Please provide as much information as possible in your application so that your specific circumstances can be considered.

To ensure you’re given every opportunity to access South Australian Government supports, please:

  • Begin an application for the Algal Bloom Fisheries and Aquaculture Assistance Grant, even if you’re not certain of your eligibility;
  • Contact our team to discuss your unique situation. Once we have your details, we can get in touch if additional or alternative support becomes available; and
  • Sign up for news and updates via algalbloom.sa.gov.au in case further support becomes available as part of the South Australian Government Algal Bloom Response Package.