Eligible costs for the collection of waste by fishermen
For operations relating to the collection of waste by fishermen from the sea, as referred to in Article 40(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 508/2014, costs relating to the following actions are eligible for support:
(a)
the removal of lost fishing gear from the sea, in particular in order to combat ghost fishing;
(b)
the purchase and, if applicable, the installation of equipment on board for the collection and storage of litter;
(c)
the creation of schemes of waste collection for participating fishermen, including financial incentives;
(d)
the purchase and, if applicable, the installation of equipment based in fishing port facilities for the storage and recycling of litter;
(e)
communication, information, awareness raising campaigns, to encourage fishermen and other stakeholders to participate in projects to remove lost fishing gear;
(f)
training for fishermen and port agents.
Eligible costs for facilities intended to protect and enhance marine fauna and flora
1. For operations relating to the construction, installation or modernisation of static or movable facilities in accordance with Article 40(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 508/2014, costs relating to the following actions are eligible for support:
(a)
the purchase and, if applicable, the installation of facilities to protect marine areas from trawling;
(b)
the purchase and, if applicable, the installation of facilities to restore degraded marine ecosystems;
(c)
costs relating to preliminary work such as prospecting, scientific studies or evaluations;
(d)
costs, in the outermost regions, relating to the purchase and, if applicable, the installation of anchored fish aggregating devices which contribute to sustainable and selective fishing, in accordance with Article 38(2) of Regulation (EU) No 508/2014.
2. For operations referred to in paragraph 1, the following costs shall not be eligible:
(a)
acquisition of a vessel to be submerged and used as an artificial reef;
(b)
costs relating to the construction and maintenance of fish aggregating devices, except for costs provided for in paragraph 1(d).
Eligible costs for the contribution to better management or conservation of marine biological resources
1. For operations that are aimed at a better management or conservation of marine biological resources as referred to in Article 40(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) No 508/2014 and that comply with Article 38 of that Regulation costs relating to the purchase or, if applicable, the installation of the following items are eligible for support:
(a)
circular hooks;
(b)
acoustic deterrent devices on nets;
(c)
turtle excluder devices (‘TEDs’);
(d)
streamer lines;
(e)
other tools or devices proven efficient in preventing accidental catches of protected species;
2. In addition, costs relating to the following actions and projects are eligible for support:
(a)
training for fishermen on better management or conservation of marine biological resources;
(b)
projects focussing on coastal habitats of importance for fish, birds and other organisms;
(c)
projects focusing on areas of importance for fish reproduction, such as coastal wetlands, may also be eligible.
3. For the replacement of existing fishing gear with low impact fishing gear, costs related to fish pots and traps, jigging and hand-lining may be eligible for support.
Eligible costs for the preparation of protection and management plans for fishery-related activities
For operations consisting in the preparation of protection and management plans for fishery-related activities, as referred to in Article 40(1)(d) of Regulation (EU) No 508/2014, costs relating to the following actions are eligible for support:
(a)
carrying out studies, in particular for the monitoring and surveillance of species and habitats including mapping, and risk management;
(b)
mapping fishing activity and intensity and interactions with protected species and habitats;
(c)
consulting stakeholders during the preparation of management plans;
(d)
developing and applying indicators for pressures and for impacts and performing conservation status assessments;
(e)
training for fishermen and other persons working for or on behalf of the bodies responsible for the management of marine protected areas (‘MPAs’) relevant for the preparation of protection and management plans for fishery-related activities;
(f)
demarcation of MPAs;
(g)
surveillance including salaries of personnel involved in surveillance activities;
(h)
carrying out publicity and awareness raising measures in relation to MPAs;
(i)
assessing the impacts of the management plans on Natura 2000 areas and on the fisheries areas affected by the management plans.
Eligible costs for the management, restoration and monitoring of Natura 2000 sites and Marine Protected Areas
For operations relating to the management, restoration and monitoring of Natura 2000 sites and Marine Protected Areas and to increasing environmental awareness, as referred to in Article 40(1)(e), (f) and (g) of Regulation (EU) No 508/2014, costs related to the following actions are eligible for support:
(a)
consultation of stakeholders during the preparation of management plans;
(b)
development and application of indicators for pressures/impacts and conservation status assessments;
(c)
surveillance of Natura 2000 sites and MPAs;
(d)
training for persons working for or on behalf of the bodies responsible for the management of Natura 2000 sites and MPAs;
(e)
training of fishermen on conservation and restoration of marine ecosystems and related alternative activities such as eco-tourism in Natura 2000 sites and MPAs;
(f)
mapping fishing activity and monitoring its intensity and recording fishery interactions with protected species such as seals, sea turtles, dolphins, seabirds;
(g)
supporting the development of fisheries management measures in Natura 2000 sites and MPAs, such as IA studies and risk assessment, including actions fostering the improvement of their coherence;
(h)
support to measures increasing environmental awareness, involving fishermen, with regard to the protection and restoration of marine biodiversity;
(i)
cooperation and networking of managers of Natura 2000 sites and MPAs.
Eligible costs for the participation in other actions aimed at maintaining and enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services
1. For operations relating to the participation in other actions aimed at maintaining and enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services as referred to in Article 40(1)(i) of Regulation (EU) No 508/2014, costs related to the following actions are eligible for support:
(a)
costs relating to schemes to test novel monitoring techniques, and in particular:
(i)
remote electronic monitoring systems, such as CCTV, for the monitoring and recording of incidental catches of protected species;
(ii)
the recording of oceanographic data such as temperature, salinity, plankton, algae blooms or turbidity;
(iii)
the mapping of invasive alien species (IAS);
(iv)
actions, including studies, to prevent and control the expansion of IAS;
(b)
financial incentives for the installation on board of automatic recording devices for monitoring and recording oceanographic data such as temperature, salinity, plankton, algae blooms or turbidity;
(c)
costs for chartering of commercial fishing vessels for environmental observation at a rate proportional to the activity;
(d)
costs for other scientific actions related to the mapping and assessment of marine and coastal ecosystems and their services.
2. For operations aiming at restoring specific marine and coastal habitats in support of sustainable fish stocks, as referred to in Article 40(1)(i) of Regulation (EU) No 508/2014, the following actions are eligible for support:
(a)
actions reducing physical and chemical pollution;
(b)
actions reducing other physical pressures, including anthropogenic underwater noise that negatively affect biodiversity;
(c)
positive conservation measures to protect and conserve flora and fauna, including the reintroduction of or stocking with native species, and applying Green Infrastructure principles referred to in the Commission Communication on Green Infrastructure ( 6 ) ;
(d)
actions to prevent, control or eliminate IAS.
Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), © European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
