The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has announced this Tuesday the aid for the crew and shipowners of vessels affected by the suspension of the fisheries agreement between the European Union and Morocco, which will amount to up to 182,000 euros for the former and 120,000 euros for the latter.
To channel these supports, the ministry has published this Tuesday in the Official State Gazette (BOE) the extracts of the two orders of call for aid, for owners of Spanish fishing vessels and for crew members on those ships.
These aids, which will be granted in a competitive regime, are in the nature of aid for temporary cessation of fishing activity, in accordance with the provisions of both Community and national regulations.
Spanish shipowners and fishermen, nationals of the Member States of the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland, and foreigners who have valid residence and work permits, embarked on Spanish fishing vessels, may benefit from this aid.
Renewal pending the judgment of the Court of Justice of the EU
The deadline for submitting applications will be 15 working days from the day following the publication of the extract in the Official State Gazette.
Given that the stoppage affects vessels from more than one autonomous community, Andalusia and the Canary Islands, the General Secretariat for Fisheries will be responsible for managing the aid for shipowners.
In the case of crew members, the management will correspond to the Social Marine Institute. Spain obtained 92 licenses of the 128 that were granted to fish in Moroccan waters, but only 21 ships applied for a license to do so in 2021 and 2022, or in 2023.
The aid will be distributed among the shipowners and crew of the 11 ships that fished at least 20 days in the triennium 2021-2023 in the Moroccan fishing ground (the next ship below this amount only fished 3 days) and that also comply with the requirement set by the European Commission of not having received more than 180 days of aid for temporary stoppage in the EMFF period (2014 to 2023).
The renewal of the fishing protocol with Morocco is awaiting a ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
