Seafarers’ Allowance and Fisher Tax Credit

Fisher Tax Credit

You can claim the Fisher Tax Credit if you meet the following conditions:

  • you are a Pay As You Earn (PAYE) employee or pay tax by self-assessment
  • you are resident in the State
  • you spend at least 80 days at sea actively engaged in sea-fishing (that is, fishing for or taking sea-fish)
  • your fishing vessel is licenced by a European Union (EU) Member State and registered on the EU Community Fishing Fleet.

If you are a part-time fisher you will be eligible for the credit providing you satisfy the above conditions.

The Fisher Tax Credit is €1,270 per year.

You can offset this credit against your total income, that is, income from fishing and other sources.

You may not claim the Seafarers’ Allowance in the same year as the Fisher Tax Credit.

You can find out more details about the qualifying conditions in the Fisher Tax Credit (Part 15.01.45).

What qualifies as a day at sea?

A day means a minimum of eight hours at sea within a 24 hour period. These eight hours can be accumulated over a number of fishing trips in a 24 hour period.

What qualifies as a fishing trip?

A fishing trip starts from the time you leave the port to fish and ends when you return to port. If you return due to distress only, this will not be deemed a return provided you resume the trip again.

What type of fishing qualifies?

The type of fishing covered is fishing for any kind of fish found in the sea, including crustaceans and molluscs. It does not include salmon, fresh water eels or aquaculture animals. For more information see Fisher Tax Credit (Part 15.01.45).

If you are fishing or dredging solely for scientific, research or training purposes, you do not qualify.