On 6 July, the European Parliament gave the final endorsement to the new European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), the EU’s main tool to support fishing communities, which will allow young fishermen to acquire their first fishing vessel.

According to the Parliament’s statement, the EMFAF’s budget is set at €6.1 billion for the period 2021-2027, with €5.3 billion allocated to the management of fisheries, aquaculture and fishing fleets. The remainder will cover measures such as scientific advice, controls and checks, market intelligence, maritime surveillance and security.

The hardest task for lawmakers was to find the right balance between ensuring the sustainability of fisheries and securing the livelihoods of fishermen and women. The EU Fisheries Commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevicius, declared that the fund will support the recovery of Europe’s blue economy and underpin the EU’s leading role in promoting sustainable ocean governance worldwide.

Under the new policy, Member States will have to spend at least 15% of the total amount on efficient fisheries control and enforcement, including fighting against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU). In line with the European Green Deal, actions under the fund will contribute to the overall budget objective to dedicate 30% of funds to climate action.

Fishermen who have to temporarily stop working to abide by certain conservation measures may be granted compensation for a maximum of 12 months per vessel or per fisherman during the programming period. A crisis management scheme will also allow emergency support to the fishery and aquaculture sector in case of significant market disruption.

Image © European Commission, 2021