MAR 2030 Programme approved by the European Commission

Following the adoption of the Portugal 2030 Partnership Agreement, which includes a good part of the interventions to be supported under the European Funds for the 2021/2027 period and one year prior to the end of the eligibility period for the2014-2020 programming cycle, the fisheries and aquaculture sector can now rely on the MAR 2030 stimulus, which renews its modernisation funding opportunities. 

The new Programme features a €539.89M budget, of which €392,57M concern the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), a financial package that is greater than the previous programming period and intends to continue with the benefits for fisheries and aquaculture sector agents, at a particularly adverse time on an international level, where environmental, economic and social concerns are pressing and demand concrete responses from public policy.

The Programme contributes towards implementing the Common Fisheries Policy and the EU Maritime Policy, and is structured into 4 priorities:

1) Foster sustainable fisheries and to restore and protect ocean biological resources, where investments on board in terms of occupational safety hygiene and conditions are supported, as well as those to improve energy efficiency and reduce pollution from vessels, alongside investments in port infrastructure and initiatives for young fishermen.

2) Foster sustainable aquaculture activities and the processing and sale of fisheries and aquaculture projects, thereby contributing to food security in the Union, where we note the benefits for investments in productive innovation, decarbonisation and digitalisation of aquaculture and fish processing, susceptible of making sector companies more efficient, resilient, and competitive 

3) Promoting a sustainable blue economy in the coastal, Island and inland regions and fostering the development of fisheries and aquaculture communities, where the assistance for local development strategies stand out, which are to be focused on entrepreneurship, creating jobsm and diversifying activities and income

4) Strengthening international ocean governance and promoting safe, protected, clean and sustainably managed seas and oceans, where the benefits are aimed at improving knowledge of the marine world and maritime surveillance and cooperation among coast guards.

The approval of Mar 2030 is also acknowledgement of the work undertaken so far, as underlined by the Minister of Agriculture and Food, Maria do Céu Antunes: "Portugal can thus increase the allocation for MAR 2030 when compared to that for MAR 2020. This is also a fact to underline".

The core lines of the programming strategy, as well as details on the MAR 2020 Programme are already posted on https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/funding/emfaf-programmes-2021-2027_en, a first step in the start of this new programming stage.