More than €239 million will be made available to Ireland and roughly €774 million will be made available to France under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) for the period 2014-2020.
In Ireland, the funding aims to make the Irish fisheries and aquaculture sectors more competitive and sustainable, by fostering innovation, skills and a more efficient and sustainable use of resources. Funding will also help Irish fishermen to adapt to the EU's newly introduced landing obligations and to better organise themselves to add value to their catches.
Funding for aquaculture will support innovation, productive investments and a reduction of the administrative burden, thereby giving a boost to the sector.
In France, the money is intended to support any development or modernisation that can boost the competitiveness and sustainability of the industry, like for instance reducing the capacity of the French fleet, curbing energy consumption or promoting innovation in the aquaculture sector. Producer organisations will be helped to get a better share of the value chain, with special attention to the extra costs faced by the French outermost regions. Measures reducing the impact of fisheries on the marine environment and protecting aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity will receive special attention.
Local development initiatives will not only receive increased aid, but that aid will also be combined with other EU funds of regional nature. Significant amounts will go to the French public bodies that are entrusted with enforcing the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy through inspection and control and with the complex task of collecting the many fisheries data that are needed for a sound management of both the fisheries and the aquaculture sector.
