European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)

The EMFF is the fund for the EU's maritime and fisheries policies for 2014-2020. It is one of the five European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds which complement each other and seek to promote a growth and job based recovery in Europe. 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 - makes it easier for applicants to access financing.
Beneficiaries: 
  • European communities dependent on fishing will benefit from new opportunities in fisheries, aquaculture and other areas of the maritime economy, which in turn will have positive spin-offs on local growth and employment.
  • European aquaculture will have more investment to promote green growth, innovation and competitiveness.
  • The European processing industry will benefit from stable supplies of wild and farmed produce.
  • Scientists and researchers will benefit from specific provisions for the public funding of data collection and scientific advice and from measures to foster innovation and transfer of knowledge between scientists and fishermen.
  • Companies engaged in coastal or offshore economic activities as well as enterprises providing services will also benefit from the fund.
  • European consumers will have access to healthy fisheries and farmed products with high nutritional value.
Focus areas: 
The EMFF focuses on the long-term objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy for a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth over the 2014-2020 period. It will contribute to sustainable and competitive fisheries and aquaculture, to a consistent framework for the Integrated Maritime Policy and to a balanced and inclusive territorial development of fisheries and aquaculture areas. These broad objectives are structured around six priorities within the EMFF:
  1. Environmentally sustainable, resource efficient, competitive fisheries which are more selective, produce less discards, and do less damage to marine ecosystems. EMFF support under this priority will thus focus on innovation and added value that can make the fisheries sector economically viable and resilient to external shocks and to competition from third countries.
  2. Environmentally sustainable, resource efficient, competitive aquaculture to make this industry green, economically viable and competitive, while providing EU consumers with healthy and highly nutritional products.
  3. Fostering the implementation of the CFP through the collection and management of data to improve scientific knowledge and through support to monitoring, control and enforcement of fisheries legislations.
  4. Increasing employment and territorial cohesion through the promotion of economic growth and social inclusion in coastal and inland communities depending on fishing.
  5. Fostering marketing and processing through improved market organisation for fishery and aquaculture products and through improved processing and marketing sectors in particular in Outermost Regions.
  6. Fostering the implementation of the Integrated Maritime Policy.

In addition, the EMFF will include accompanying measures for voluntary payments to Regional Fisheries Management Organisations and technical assistance.

Sectors:
Aggregates mining (sand, gravel, etc.)
Agriculture on saline soils
Carbon capture and storage
Coastal protection
Coastal tourism
Cruise tourism
Deep-sea shipping
Environmental monitoring
Fish for animal feeding
Fish for human consumption
Inland waterway transport
Marine aquaculture
Marine biotechnology
Marine minerals mining
Maritime and coastal tourism
Ocean renewable energy
Offshore oil and gas
Offshore wind
Passenger ferry services
Prevent and protect against illegal movement of people and goods
Protection of habitats
Research & innovation
Securing fresh water supply (desalination)
Shipbuilding (excl. leisure boats) and ship repair
Short-sea shipping (incl. Ro-Ro)
Social inclusion
Traceability and security of goods supply chains
Transport (port connectivity and accessibility)
Water projects
Yachting and marinas
Countries:
France
Ireland
Portugal
Spain
United Kingdom
Website: 
EMFF: European Maritime and Fisheries Fund
EASME: Executive Agency for SMEs