Under Union Priority 4 of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, the Fisheries Local Action Group approved funding to NIFHA.

The two-year project will involve a variety of elements aimed to improve waste management in the three fishing harbours, Ardglass, Portavogie and Kilkeel, through the development and implementation of an action plan focused on marine litter to include re-purposing and recycling of end-of-life fishing gear and how the fishery harbours control and recycle waste.

There will also be a focus on clean-up efforts to include co-ordinating local beach cleans, linking in with existing schemes and organisations. The project also involves promoting and monitoring the Fishing for Litter scheme and creating simple messaging to help those using the harbours to understand best practice in waste management through the development of a local code of practice, reflecting key elements from the Responsible Fishing Ports for small ports scheme and blue flag marinas scheme.