By the End of the Year, 11 New Fisheries Tenders

The Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds announces that by the end of the year, it will announce 11 new tenders aimed at the fisheries sector, primarily related to the purchase of equipment on fishing vessels.

The Ministry states that the problem of fishermen regarding the unloading of goods and mooring in fishing ports and unloading sites has been recognized. Therefore, by the end of the year, a tender for the construction/modernization/equipment of fishing ports and unloading sites will also be announced. Other tenders are related to aquaculture and the implementation of community-led local development and market measures.

– Fisheries are essential for maintaining jobs on the islands, as well as in coastal areas. Our goal is to increase safety at work for fishermen and even improve the quality of products,” said the technical minister of regional development and EU funds, Tomislav Tolušić.

The tenders will contribute to increased productivity and a higher standard of living in the fisheries sector and ensure a more stable market, the Ministry emphasizes. They state that the fisheries sector is extremely important for Croatia and although it does not have a large share in GDP, it contributes to employment opportunities, especially in coastal areas and on islands, where this sector is one of the few that provides income throughout the year.

The Ministry reminds that at the beginning of November 2015, the Operational Program for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Croatia for the programming period 2014-2020 was adopted, with a total allocation of 348 million euros, of which 252 million euros comes from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.

This operational program consolidates all priorities and objectives that need to be achieved in the fisheries sector through co-financing from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The EMFF is a financial instrument established by the EU and promotes many positive aspects of maritime affairs and fisheries in Croatia. Among other things, it encourages competitive, economically sustainable, and socially responsible fisheries and aquaculture and promotes balanced and inclusive territorial development in areas where fisheries and aquaculture take place.