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Algal Bloom Resilience Grant

Building resilience and creating new opportunities for fisheries and aquaculture businesses impacted by algal bloom

The Algal Bloom Resilience Grant offers payments of between $25,000 and $150,000 to support commercial fisheries and aquaculture licence holders to invest in improving business resilience.

This funding may be used on projects that build business resilience, take advantage of new opportunities, and create or help protect jobs.

There is no requirement for you to co-contribute funds towards projects.

Funding may be used towards project-related costs, including:

  • the purchase of new equipment
  • the replacement or upgrades to existing equipment which substantially improve resilience, expand business capabilities/operations or support algal bloom clean-up and repair
  • mentoring, research and development costs
  • training and re-skilling existing staff
  • payments to consultants (e.g. designers, engineers and technical specialists)
  • algal bloom clean-up or repair of harvest area infrastructure costs
  • and more.

Applications are now open and close on 31 March 2026.

Is my business eligible?

To be eligible for this grant, your business must be impacted by the algal bloom and be able to demonstrate this by either:

  • having been approved to receive/received a grant under the Algal Bloom Fisheries and Aquaculture Assistance Grant program; or
  • had your licence fees waived by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions under the Algal Bloom Fee Relief Program.

Your business 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;
  • have held an active ABN since 1 January 2025;
  • be registered for GST at the time applications opened (21 October 2025)
  • be currently operating (in any capacity) e.g. businesses that are not harvesting may still be incurring overheads such as insurance, rent utilities;
  • submit a Resilience Plan for the project;
  • commence the project within 6 months, and deliver the project (installed and operating as applicable) within 12 months, of the grant agreement being executed, unless otherwise agreed;
  • not be an excluded entity; and
  • 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; and
  • derive at least 75% of business turnover directly from commercial activities under the commercial fisheries or aquaculture licence(s).

What types of projects can this funding be used on?

The Algal Bloom Resilience Grant must be used on business projects that build business resilience, take advantage of new opportunities, or help protect jobs. This includes projects that:

  • improve and develop new capabilities, processes, products and/or services,
  • improve the productivity and efficiency of existing operations,
  • expand business capabilities/operations to create new revenue streams or to mitigate risks,
  • retain or create employment opportunities within the business, and/or
  • maintain or increase business turnover/profitability.

This funding is not intended to support businesses seeking to exit current industries completely or cease operations in South Australia.

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 Small Business Support 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.

Need help getting started?

This webinar explains everything you need to know about the new Algal Bloom Resilience Grant, designed to help eligible commercial fisheries and aquaculture licence holders to invest in improving business resilience.

Get insight on how the program works, what funding is available and the support on offer to help you prepare your application.

Need more help with your application?

Support and advice for your Algal Bloom Resilience Grant application is available through the Seafood Industry South Australia and Rural Business Support. We encourage you to reach out to discuss with each organisation.