The Marine, Fisheries and Aquaculture Operational Programme 2021-2027 was presented today at a press conference held at the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research.
The new Programme has a total budget of €54.7 million, with the European Union contributing €38.5 million, representing 70% of the budget. The remaining €16.4 million will be provided by the Republic of Cyprus as a national contribution.
In his speech, the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Mr Costas Kadis noted that the programme is a sustainable and effective plan for the further development of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors. "It is also the means to make sustainable use of the opportunities offered by the sea through an integrated maritime strategy," he added.
Through the Programme, the Minister stressed, grant projects will be launched for actions to promote the blue economy, the transition to sustainable fisheries and sustainable aquaculture, the reduction of pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions, the protection of marine biodiversity, the modernisation of fishing shelters and support for coastal communities.
The plans also provide, Mr Kadis said, for subsidies for actions to deal with crises and unforeseen events that disrupt the market, such as the grant scheme to mitigate the impact of the sudden increase in the prices of key inputs due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which is already in the process of being implemented.
Regarding the marine environment, an area of the highest priority for the ministry, the programme, the minister noted, includes important actions for rational management of marine protected areas, monitoring of coastal habitats and species, and promotion of scientific knowledge on marine-related issues.
"Before I close, and because numbers almost always tell the truth, I would like to emphasise that, through the implementation of the Programme, it is expected that more than 700, mainly small and medium-sized, enterprises will benefit, that jobs will increase by about 10% and the number of enterprises by 5%, and that about 2500 of our fellow citizens will benefit directly," the Minister concluded.
Presenting the Operational Programme, the Director of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, Ms Marina Argyrou, thanked all those who contributed to the adoption of the programme.
She pointed out that the Operational Programme 2021-27 is the main financial tool for the implementation of the national objectives and the vision of the Department, which is "the economic and social well-being of the fisheries sector of Cyprus, in a clean, healthy and productive marine environment".
"It is the duty and responsibility of all of us to protect and maintain healthy and productive ecosystems to ensure the resilience and competitiveness of the fishing industry, the sustainable development of the blue economy, the provision of a variety of goods and services, which ensure the well-being of people and constitute an investment for both existing and future generations, because our sea is and will be our future", concluded the Director of the CFCA.
For the presentation of the Director of TATHE Ms Marina Argyrou click here.
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