A new EUR 567.1 million (USD 591.6 million) European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) program for French fisheries and aquaculture for the period 2021-2027 has been adopted by the European Commission.
Alongside national funding, the total financial allocation aimed at implementing the E.U. common fisheries policy (CFP) and E.U. policy priorities outlined in the European Green Deal, and the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies amounts to a total EUR 793.3 million (USD 827.6 million) for the new funding period.
According to the Commission, the fund will support France’s fishing and aquaculture sectors by facilitating the green and digital transition, adapting the product offer in line with the expectations of consumers, sustain small-scale coastal fishing, improving resilience, and boost innovation.
It will help companies in the fisheries, aquaculture and processing sectors face climate change and health events as well as mitigating the impact of crises, like the COVID-19 pandemic, and the post-Brexit fallout. Attention will also be given to upgrading health and hygiene conditions in fisheries and aquaculture and to guarantee safe working conditions.
Specifically, the program will support such activities as restructuring and modernizing the fishing fleet, implementing the landing obligation, improving fishing gear selectivity, and improving the knowledge and management of marine protected areas (MPAs).
E.U. Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius said the Commission has stood by the French fishermen in difficult times.
“France has a key role to play in the sustainable management of our oceans as well as the development of a sustainable blue economy, so the funding will also contribute to those areas in both mainland and the six French Outermost Regions,” he said.
France’s National Institute for Ocean Science IFREMER will be in charge of carrying out observations on fishing effort overseas.
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