Around €55 million for fisheries projects between 2021-2027, minister says

The government’s policy in the fisheries sector is fully aligned with the principles of the EU Common Fisheries Policy and focuses on sustainable fisheries management and the restoration and conservation of aquatic biological resources, Agriculture Minister Petros Xenophontos said on Saturday.

Around €55 million is expected to be allocated to Cyprus between 2021 and 2027, with the EU’s contribution amounting to 70 per cent for projects related to the development of the fisheries sector and the protection of the marine environment, he explained.

Addressing the eighth fish festival organised by the Polis Chrysochous municipality, Xenophontos said the ministry has set as its primary objective the support of the fishing sector and the sustainability of the fisherman’s profession through the protection and sustainable management of fish stocks, the support of fishing communities, the improvement of fishing infrastructure and fishermen’s working conditions, especially small-scale coastal fishing, which is the backbone of the fishing sector in Cyprus.

To achieve this, the ministry is keen to make use of European funds, exhausting every possibility of securing European programmes.

Indicatively, for projects related to the development of the fisheries sector and the protection of the marine environment, Xenophontos said that €53 million were allocated for the period 2014-2020, of which €39m came from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and the rest from national funds, while for the period 2021-2027, approximately €55m are expected to be allocated, with the EU contribution amounting to 70 per cent.