EU fishing funds: Balearics fight for support after 2027

Balearic Islands fisheries officials joined four Mediterranean regions in Brussels on 3 September to press for secure EU support after 2027. They met the European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, as the current EU budget framework heads towards its end. The concern is that money now set aside for fishing and aquaculture could disappear into a wider budget pot.

The Balearic Islands, Andalusia, Catalonia, the Valencian Community and Murcia want funding that is specifically for fishing and aquaculture, stable, clearly identifiable and large enough to support the sector. The meeting focused on the Mediterranean fleet and the measures that will apply once the present framework ends in 2027.

Stand-alone fishing fund faces overhaul

The European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, known as FEMPA, may stop operating as a separate fund in the 2028-2034 budget period. Under the proposed new structure, it would be folded into a broader financial instrument.

An initial proposal protected €2,000 million specifically for fishing. The European Commission later suggested raising that figure to €4,000 million. But the regions argue that the total alone is not enough: they want to know the money remains visible and reaches the fishing industry.

The funding could help modernise and decarbonise boats, back small-scale fishing and aquaculture, and improve the sale of fish products. Ports, fish markets, cold chains and product traceability are also among the areas named for possible investment.

2027 fishing days also under discussion

The five regions also discussed fishing opportunities for 2027 and reform of the Western Mediterranean multiannual plan, known as the MAP. Andalusia said no further fishing days should be cut, pointing to earlier reductions in fishing effort, closed seasons, closures, temporary stoppages and selective-gear measures.

Ramón Fernández-Pacheco, Andalusia’s agriculture and fisheries minister, called for different criteria when deciding any cuts to fishing days. He urged a more flexible, regional approach that takes economic and social indicators into account alongside science, selective gear and spatial management.

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Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com