Financial support for promoting competitive, environmentally sustainable, economically viable and socially responsible fisheries and aquaculture by "Maritime and Fisheries Programme" 2014-2020

"Maritime and Fisheries Programme" 2014-2020 is the instrument on national level for implementing Common Fisheries Policy of the EU and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund under European Structural and Investment Funds of the EU and provides financial support for measures, aimed at promoting environmentally sustainable, resource–efficient, innovative, competitive and knowledge–based fisheries and aquaculture: • Investments in equipment that: improves size selectivity or species selectivity of fishing gear; eliminates discards by avoiding and reducing unwanted catches of commercial stocks, or that deals with unwanted catches to be landed; limits and, where possible, eliminates the physical and biological impacts of fishing on the ecosystem or the sea bed; protects gear and catches from mammals and birds protected, provided that it does not undermine the selectivity of the fishing gear and that all appropriate measures are introduced to avoid physical damage to the predators. • Operations aimed at developing or introducing new technical or organisational knowledge that reduces the impact of fishing activities on the environment. • Collection of waste by fishermen from the sea such as the removal of lost fishing gear and marine litter. • Investments in fishing ports, auction halls, landing sites and shelters - in order to facilitate compliance with the obligation to land all catches in accordance with the EU and national legislation, as well as to add value to under-used components of the catch. • Construction, installation or modernisation of static or movable facilities intended to protect and enhance marine fauna and flora, including their scientific preparation and evaluation. • Contributions to a better management or conservation of marine biological resources. • Preparation, including studies, drawing-up, monitoring and updating of protection and management plans for fishery-related activities relating to Natura 2000. • Management, restoration and monitoring of Natura 2000. • Management, restoration and monitoring of marine protected areas. • Increasing environmental awareness, involving fishermen, with regard to the protection and restoration of marine biodiversity. • Participation in other actions aimed at maintaining and enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services, such as the restoration of specific marine and coastal habitats in support of sustainable fish stocks, including their scientific preparation and evaluation. • Management, restoration and monitoring of Natura 2000 sites which are affected by fishing activities, and the rehabilitation of inland waters, including spawning grounds and migration routes for migratory species. • Construction, modernisation or installation of static or movable facilities intended to protect and enhance aquatic fauna and flora. • Developing technical, scientific or organisational knowledge in aquaculture farms, which, in particular, reduces the impact on the environment, reduces dependence on fish meal and oil, fosters a sustainable use of resources in aquaculture, improves animal welfare or facilitates new sustainable production methods. • Productive investments in aquaculture: increasing energy efficiency and promoting the conversion of aquaculture enterprises to renewable sources of energy; reducing the negative impact or enhancing the positive effects on the environment and increasing resource efficiency. • Conversion to eco-management and audit schemes and organic aquaculture.