Marine Research Funding

Marine research funding provides finance to help undertake projects that enhance knowledge in fields such as food, energy, transport and biodiversity. A range of government departments and agencies have a role in the promotion and funding of marine research.

A total of 15 areas, or themes as identified in the National Marine Research and Innovation Strategy 2017-2021, receive funding for research projects. The themes related to the maritime economy include:

• bioresources such as aquaculture, biomass production and processing for food
• advanced technologies
• subsea resources
• renewable energy
• tourism and leisure
• transport and logistics
• security and surveillance

The themes related to marine ecosystems include:

• biodiversity, ecosystems and food-webs
• pollution and litter
• climate change
• ocean observation and seabed mapping

There are also themes related to education and policy such as:

• ocean literacy and education
• integrated policy and governance: socio economics, law, planning and governance, business development
• information and spatial technologies, analytics and modelling
• engineering

The Marine Institute administers the National Marine Research Programme. It provides funding via competitive research calls including the annual Ship Time Call, Networking and Travel Awards and the Cullen Scholarship and Post-Doctoral Fellowship Programmes.

It also provide details of other competitive calls open to Irish researchers, funded both nationally and internationally. You can sign up to receive notifications of new calls published by using the Subscribe to Funding Calls facility.

Click here to access the service.