Management, relief and advisory services for aquaculture farms
Article 49
1. In order to improve the overall performance and competitiveness of aquaculture farms, and to reduce the negative environmental impact of their operations, the EMFF may support: (a) the setting-up of management, relief and advisory services for aquaculture farms; (b) the purchase of farm advisory services of a technical, scientific, legal, environmental or economic nature. 2. Advisory services referred to in point (b) of paragraph 1 shall cover: (a) the management needs to enable aquaculture farms to comply with Union and national environmental legislation, as well as with maritime spatial planning requirements; (b) environmental impact assessment as referred to in Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 31 ) and Directive 92/43/EEC; (c) the management needs to enable aquaculture farms to comply with Union and national aquatic animal health and welfare or public health legislation; (d) health and safety standards based on Union and national legislation; (e) marketing and business strategies. 3. The advisory services referred to in point (b) of paragraph 1 shall be provided by scientific or technical bodies, as well as by entities providing legal or economic advice with the required competences as recognised by the Member State. 4. Support under point (a) of paragraph 1 shall only be granted to public law bodies or other entities selected by the Member State to set up the farm advisory services. Support under point (b) of paragraph 1 shall only be granted to aquaculture SMEs or aquaculture organisations, including aquaculture producer organisations and associations of aquaculture producer organisations. 5. Where the support does not exceed EUR 4 000, the beneficiary may be selected by means of an accelerated procedure. 6. Beneficiaries shall not receive support more than once per year for each category of advisory services referred to in paragraph 2.