Answer to a written question – Ensuring the sustainability of small-scale coastal fishing in the South-Eastern Mediterranean – E-001507/2025(ASW)

1. The European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) supports the small-scale fleet by offering support at up to 100% of their investment costs. This includes diversifying activities to support income, like fishing tourism, modernising vessels, mitigating impacts from climate change, invasive species and costs due to exceptional events, or enhancing fishers’ skills and income possibilities through training. The Commission works with Greece to ensure the Greek EMFAF programme meets sector-specific needs, with the Greek Managing Authority being responsible for allocating funding to projects that align with national priorities, including those in the context of the question.

2. The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) allows measures to be adapted to regional needs with the involvement of stakeholders within Advisory Councils such as the Mediterranean Advisory Council. Multiannual Plans adopted through the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) provide targeted measures to fisheries in the region and the Mediterranean Regulation[1] addresses the unique characteristics and requirements of the small traditional fishing fleets. The Commission works at GFCM level to ensure that the specificities of small-scale fisheries, as outlined in the Regional Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, are taken into consideration. The Commission is currently evaluating the CFP Regulation[2]. The results, expected in early 2026, will be instrumental in the future development of the policy and regulatory framework, including of small-scale fisheries. In this context, the Commission plans organising an implementation dialogue on small-scale coastal fisheries in November.

• [1] Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006 of 21 December 2006 concerning management measures for the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean Sea, amending Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1626/94.
• [2] Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1954/2003 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 2371/2002 and (EC) No 639/2004 and Council Decision 2004/585/EC.