The European Commission has proposed changes to the EU’s fisheries and aquaculture fund designed to make support easier to access for fishers and aquaculture producers.
The Commission put forward a targeted amendment to the rules governing the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) — an EU pot of money that supports the fisheries and aquaculture sector — to reduce administrative requirements and back investment linked to energy use and emissions, it informed in a statement on Monday.
Under the proposal, rules for replacing and modernising fishing vessel engines would become more flexible, alongside a simpler approval process and a clearer method for calculating emissions reductions.
It also proposed higher aid for young fishers and fewer obstacles to business transfers, alongside two new funding schemes: one to help fishers cope with unexpected quota cuts, and another to support small-scale fisheries, particularly vessels under 12 metres and operators using non-towed gear, it added.
More flexibility for national spending
The proposed amendment would raise the maximum share of each Member State’s EMFAF funding that can be used for fleet measures and permanent cessation, giving national authorities more flexibility to respond to imbalances in fleet capacity.
The Commission also said the changes would incentivise support for marine protected areas, fishing-restricted areas and safety-at-sea technologies, linking the approach to the EU’s 2050 climate-neutrality objective.
The proposal would align EMFAF support with the World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, under which operators or vessels involved in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing would not be eligible for funding.
The amendments follow a mid-term evaluation of the fund and input from member states and stakeholder consultations, and will now be examined by the European Parliament and the Council under the EU’s ordinary legislative procedure.
