EC Issues Maritime and Fisheries Fund Breakdown

In the wake of the recent adoption of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) (IP/14/458), the European Commission has provided the breakdown of the fund by priority and Member State.

The breakdown covers the €5.75bn ($7.81bn) which will be implemented under shared management by Member States.

The total EMFF budget, including shared and direct management, is €6.4bn ($8.69bn) for the period 2014-2020.

Based on the breakdown the biggest amount would be allocated to Spain Eur 1.16 KMil, followed by France 558 Mil, Italy 537 Mil and Poland with 51 Mil.

The EMFF is one of the five European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds which complement each other and seek to prioritize a growth and job based recovery in Europe.

The EMFF is the financial instrument to help deliver these objectives by providing financial support to fishermen, fish farmers and coastal communities.

The fund helps fishermen in the transition to sustainable fishing, supports coastal communities in diversifying their economies, finances projects that create new jobs, and improve quality of life along European coasts.

 Each country is allocated a share of the total fund budget, based on the size of its fishing industry.

Each country then draws up an operational programme, saying how it intends to spend the money. Once the Commission approves this programme, it is up to the national authorities to decide which projects will be funded.

The national authorities and the Commission are jointly responsible for the implementation of the programme.

The European Commission is stepping up its efforts to protect the fishery, especially with the reform of its Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which enabled the EU to acted against overfishing and the practice of throwing unwanted fish back in the sea.

[mappress]
June 20, 2014; Image: ocean2012