The European Commission has adopted a €29m investment package for the Maltese maritime, fisheries and aquaculture sectors, which aims to support smart and green fisheries and aquaculture.
This package, which includes €23m of EU funding, will also support fishing communities by improving infrastructure and equipping fishermen with new skills and opportunities to help them diversify their business models.
The European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella said that the programme will help promote sustainable growth of the sector in the country.
He said: “This investment will be a shot in the arm for Malta's coastal communities and economy as a whole. It is no secret that our maritime, fisheries and aquaculture sectors are the lifeblood of many of our communities and that's why I am delighted that long term economic and environmental sustainability is the focus of this programme.”
Commissioner Vella added that the package is fully in line with the priorities of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Regulation (EMFF) and the reformed Common Fisheries Policy. He said it will promote environmentally sustainable, resource efficient, innovative, competitive and knowledge based fisheries and aquaculture.
Projects that improve the livelihood of fishing communities, limit the impact of fishing on the marine environment, ensure the balance between fishing capacity and available fishing opportunities, and promote environmentally sustainable research-oriented aquaculture will be supported through the package. The package will also promote a shift in consumption towards lesser known species.
