European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF)

Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture

The European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund is the EU’s funding programme that supports the EU common fisheries policy, the EU maritime policy and the EU agenda for international ocean governance. The Programme also helps fulfil the objectives of the European Green Deal, the roadmap for the EU environmental and climate policies.

The programme has the following priorities:

1. fostering sustainable fisheries and the restoration and conservation of aquatic biological resources;
    
2. fostering sustainable aquaculture activities, and processing and marketing of fishery and aquaculture products, thus contributing to food security in the Union;
    
3. enabling a sustainable blue economy in coastal, island and inland areas, and fostering the development of fishing and aquaculture communities;
    
4. strengthening international ocean governance and enabling seas and oceans to be safe, secure, clean and sustainably managed.

The programme supports innovative projects that contribute to the sustainable exploitation and management of aquatic and maritime resources.

The programme management is divided between ‘shared management’ and ‘direct management’. Under ‘shared management’, the programme is administered through national programmes approved by the Commission. In this case, EU countries outline in their programmes the best way for them to fulfil the objectives of the fund. They identify actions in line with their national strategy and select the eligible projects in line with their own criteria. Under ‘direct management’, the Commission directly administers the fund through work programmes, issuing EU-wide calls for project proposals.

The European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund is the EU’s funding programme that supports the EU common fisheries policy, the EU maritime policy and the EU agenda for international ocean governance. The Programme also helps fulfil the objectives of the European Green Deal, the roadmap for the EU environmental and climate policies.

The programme has the following priorities:

1. fostering sustainable fisheries and the restoration and conservation of aquatic biological resources;
    
2. fostering sustainable aquaculture activities, and processing and marketing of fishery and aquaculture products, thus contributing to food security in the Union;
    
3. enabling a sustainable blue economy in coastal, island and inland areas, and fostering the development of fishing and aquaculture communities;
    
4. strengthening international ocean governance and enabling seas and oceans to be safe, secure, clean and sustainably managed.

The programme supports innovative projects that contribute to the sustainable exploitation and management of aquatic and maritime resources.

The programme management is divided between ‘shared management’ and ‘direct management’. Under ‘shared management’, the programme is administered through national programmes approved by the Commission. In this case, EU countries outline in their programmes the best way for them to fulfil the objectives of the fund. They identify actions in line with their national strategy and select the eligible projects in line with their own criteria. Under ‘direct management’, the Commission directly administers the fund through work programmes, issuing EU-wide calls for project proposals.

In terms of the financing mechanism, the EMFAF provides grants that cover a percentage of eligible costs. The maximum co-financing rate is 70%, with the exception of 100% for compensation in the outermost regions to cover additional costs.

Eligible applicants need to be legal entities (natural persons are not eligible for funding). Reference should be made to the eligibility criteria listed in each specific funding call, as these might vary from one call to another.