In front of the economic difficulties faced by the fishing and shellfish farming professionals in this period of health crisis, the State and the Occitania Region launched a “Fishing Plan” to support the market. Among the measures adopted are the introduction of financial aid for professionals in the sector, a state-guaranteed loan mechanism and the payment of salaries and costs link with the boat by the EMFF.

The fishing plan shall include the following provisions :

– Coverage of the salaries of salaried seamen and captains of fishing vessels;
– The BPI-France bank loan mechanism (or in traditional banks),
– The National Solidarity Fund (FNS) for all fishing companies with a turnover of less than €1M that can justify an accounting system;
– The possibility of postponing social/fiscal deadlines;
– The possibility of suspending certain bills (water, gas, electricity and rent bills as part of a gesture requested from landlords and energy suppliers for the small businesses most in difficulty);
– In the case of vessels, the fixed costs of vessels may be covered by temporary stoppages financed from the European Fund for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (EFFAMP);
– In order to specifically help small businesses, the Occitania Region is setting up a Fisheries Solidarity Fund.