The European Commission has adopted the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) Programme for France to implement the common fisheries policy and other priorities outlined in the European Green Deal, Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies.
This adoption follows the Partnership Agreement 2021-2027l reached with France which will see the EU contribute €567.1 million in funding to support the fishing and aquaculture sectors in the country.
Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, said the Commission has stood by 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.
The EMFAF programme is built on three ambitions – to support the fisheries and aquaculture sectors towards better environmental, economic and social performance; to establish sustainable conditions for the harmonious deployment of maritime and coastal activities; and to promote effective implementation of the programme by renewing the partnership between state and regions.
More concretely, the programme will support a restructuring and modernisation of the fishing fleet, the implementation of the landing obligation, improved selectivity of fishing gears and improved knowledge and management of marine protected areas.
