Algal Bloom Resilience Grant

The Algal Bloom Resilience Grant program (“the ABRG Program”) is part of the South Australian Government’s Summer Plan released in response to the Algal Bloom occurring across South Australia’s coastline.

The ABRG Program is designed to assist South Australian commercial fisheries and aquaculture licence holders impacted by the continued presence of the current algal bloom, to implement resilience projects to preserve their ongoing viability, through:

• improving and developing new capabilities, processes, products and/or services;
• improving the productivity, efficiency and sustainability of existing operations;
• expanding business capabilities/operations to create new revenue streams or to mitigate risks from persistent, or future, Algal Bloom events; or
• retain and create new employment opportunities within the business.

This grant can be accessed by applicants who have been impacted by the Algal Bloom event, demonstrated by either:

• having been approved to receive/received a grant under the Algal Bloom Fisheries and Aquaculture Assistance Grant (“Fisheries and Aquaculture Assistance Grant” or “ABFAAG”)

OR

• having had licence fee(s) waived by the Department for Primary Industries and Regional Development ("PIRSA") under the Algal Bloom Fee Relief Program.

Full Guidelines for the ABRG Program can be found here

If you have had your licence fee(s) waived by PIRSA, you may be eligible to apply for and receive Algal Bloom support funding from the ABFAAG of up to a total of $200,000 (ex GST).  If you have not already done so, please apply for funding from the ABFAAG program in the first instance before progressing your application for funding from the ABRG program any further.

For further enquiries, contact the Office for Small and Family Business at algalbusinesssupportgrants@sa.gov.au or call (08) 8429 7700.

Frequently Asked Questions FAQs

For additional information for Algal Bloom grants and other support measures please visit business.sa.gov.au/algal-bloom.

One-off grants of between $25,000 and $150,000 (GST exclusive) will be available for eligible South Australian commercial fisheries and aquaculture licence holders, subject to a merit based assessment process. A total of $3 million is allocated to the ABRG Program.

Assistance provided through the ABRG Program is not intended to be ongoing. Funding will only be provided to projects which align to the ABRG Program objectives and can be sustained beyond the assistance period. Thus, the assistance is designed to meet only the transitional costs associated with any submitted project proposal.

There is no requirement for applicant co-contributions towards projects under the ABRG Program.

Funds are made available on a first come first served basis, subject to meeting the Eligibility Criteria and endorsement by the Assessment Panel following a merit-based assessment against program objectives and requirements.
Prior to receiving funds, and before the project work commences, successful grant applicants must execute a grant agreement stipulating the obligations of the applicant and the conditions under which any assistance is given, including, where relevant, payment milestones, clawback and reporting requirements.

Payments will only be made after successful achievement of agreed milestones to the satisfaction of DSD.

Projects must have commenced and be substantially progressed within six (6) months and completed within twelve (12) months of the grant agreement being executed, unless otherwise agreed.

The grant is a voluntary payment by the State to assist parties impacted by the Algal Bloom event. It may not meet all costs of the proposed project.

Only one application can be submitted per aquaculture or fisheries licence or per Australian Business Number (“ABN”).

The Treasurer, or their delegate, may in their absolute discretion designate multiple applicants to be a Grouped Entity for the purpose of considering eligibility to apply for funding from the ABRG Program.

Applications for this program close at 5:00pm (ACST) on 31st March 2026.

All applications are assessed on the information and evidence provided in the form or requested at the time of assessment. 

The form will request information based on your circumstances and previous grant activity.

To apply for funding from the ABRG program, you will be required to provide:

• a Resilience Plan for the proposed project (a template is available here);
• the most recent two years of financial statements and reports (displaying financial outcomes for at least three (3) full years), including a Profit and Loss Statement and a Statement of Financial Position, which identifies both assets and liabilities, prepared by a registered tax agent;
• copies of project quotes;
• details of all State and Commonwealth grants and loans received in the past two (2) years and any pending applications for grants and loans;
• any other supporting project preparation documentation (e.g. cost-benefit analysis, project scoping, options studies, design and other relevant work) demonstrating compliance with the Eligibility Criteria; and
• any other information requested from time to time by DSD or DTF through the application process.