Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Animal Rights Anton Refalo launched an Incentive Scheme for Sustainable Fishing. In compliance with state aid regulations, this scheme encourages sustainable fishing by compensating fishers for adopting measures and techniques which reduce the negative impact on environment and fishing habitats.
Minister Refalo explained that this scheme will provide two types of assistance. Under the first option, a financial reimbursement of up to €700 per vessel will be granted for the cost of purchasing environmentally friendly fishing gear. Under the second option, fishers who choose to reduce the main engine power on their vessel will be eligible to receive financial compensation of up to €2,000 yearly for a period of five consecutive years according to the reduced power. They will also be reimbursed for the costs incurred for the surveyor’s initial report, the work to derate the engine as well as the new engine certificate. Those applying to benefit from this stream of eligibility must provide clear evidence in the form of a surveyor’s report that the engine power can be reduced without affecting the vessel’s operations.
This scheme will offer compensation to fishers who are registered with the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture as MFA or MFB. In addition, fishers must register and sell 25% of their catches landed between 1st July and 31st December 2021 at the fish market in Marsa. Therefore, this scheme will be promoting the use of the fish market, which was funded by European Funds and inaugurated in recent years.
Applications will be distributed by post in the coming days. Those interested should send their application by post together with the requested documentation to the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture by 31st August 2021.
In case of any difficulties, one may contact the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture on 2292 6831 or 2292 6839.
