Carlingford Lough Ferry have been successfully awarded funding under Union Priority 4, European Maritime and Fisheries Fund to develop and fit out an onboard passenger cruise experience.

The introduction of 2 new cruises, Maritime Tour cruises and Seafood Showcase cruises are a welcomed development in the area. The project aims to develop the area of maritime tourism by running these cruises as an annual schedule of summer events on Carlingford Lough in addition to the car ferry service. The large deck area on the car ferry offers a platform for outdoor social gatherings and to showcase the heritage and natural beauty of the local area.

The first of the two new cruises is a maritime tour of the Lough with an onboard audio tour guide who would talk about the maritime history, heritage, wildlife and sea life, in addition to the heritage of the fishing communities that have developed in the local area.

The second would be a ‘seafood showcase’ through a series of ‘Meet the Maker’ cruises. These cruises would be a collaboration with local seafood providers to showcase the diverse range of offerings the Lough and coastal region has to offer.

This project would promote social inclusion within the fishing community of Kilkeel and surrounding areas. Through the promotion of maritime cruises and shared culture and heritage of fisheries areas, this project could also indirectly support the fisheries sector economic growth and tourism products of the areas.

Under Union Priority 4, European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, funding was awarded to Down Business Centre enabling them to initiate a ‘From Sea to Service’ project.

The ‘Sea to Service’ delivery programme is a series of training workshops to be undertaken in the hospitality sector, with both Front and Back of House staff. These groups will comprise of management, servers, etc. The participating businesses will be made up of restaurants, cafes, pubs and takeaways, within the areas of Ardglass, Kilkeel and Portavogie. The purpose of these workshops is to instil a passion surrounding local seafood and fish produce, as well as allowing participating businesses to ‘upsell’ these dishes more effectively.

The project contributes to the Seaflag Objectives, with the project contributing to 3 out of the 5 stated targets;

• Adding Value, through the potential creation of jobs and the promotion of innovation across all supply chain activities;
• Diversification, through the linkages between the commercial fishing and the local hospitality sector promoting the maritime economy; and
• Social and Cultural, through promoting the cultural heritage of fishing industry through the story of local seafood.