EMFAF – European Maritime and Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund – 2021-2027

The European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund is the instrument supporting the EU common fisheries policy (CFP), the EU maritime policy and the EU agenda for international ocean governance. It provides support for developing innovative projects ensuring that aquatic and maritime resources are used sustainably. The new budgetary programming includes stronger synergies with other EU policies, a stronger focus on the environment compared to the 2014 – 2020 period with more sustainable fisheries and aquaculture and support for safer and cleaner oceans.

Objectives

• To foster sustainable fisheries and the conservation of marine biological resources
• To contribute to food security in the Union through competitive and sustainable aquaculture and markets
• To enable the growth of a sustainable blue economy and fostering prosperous coastal communities
• To strenghten international ocean governance and enabling safe, secure, clean and sustainably managed seas and oceans

Priorities

• Strenghtening economically, socially and environmentally sustainable fishing activities
• Increasing energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions through the replacement or modernisation of engines of fishing vessels
• Promoting the adjustment of fishing capacity to fishing opportunities in cases of permanent cessation of fishing activities and contributing to a fair standard of living in cases of temporary cessation of fishing activities
• Fostering efficien fisheries control and enforcement, including fighting against IUU fishing, as well as reliable data for knowledge-based decision-making
• Promoting a level-playing field for fishery and aquaculture products from the outermost region
• Contributing to the protection and restoration of aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems
• Promoting sustainable aquaculture activities, especially strenghtening the competitiveness of aquaculture production, while ensuring that the activities are environmentally sustainable in the long term
• Promoting marketing, quality and added value of fishery and aquaculture products, as well as processing of the products
• Strengthening sustainable sea and ocean management through the promotion of marine knowledge, maritime surveillance or coast guard cooperation
• Enabling a sustainable blue economy in coastal, island and inland areas, and fostering the sustainable development of fishing and aquaculture communities

Financed actions

• Data collection and analysis, and promoting of marine knowledge
• Actions reducing negative impacts and/or contributing to positive impacts on the environment and contributing to a good environmental status
• Actions promoting conditions for economically viable, competitive and attractive fishery, aquaculture and processing sectors
• Actions contibuting to a good environmental status through implementing and monitoring of marine protected area
• Compensation for unexpected environmental, climatic or public health events