Programme of the Lithuanian fisheries sector 2014-2020

In August 2015 the European Commission adopted the Decision on the Approval of the Operational Programme of the Lithuanian Fisheries Sector for 2014–2020. The budget of the Programme for the 2014-2020 financial period amounts to EUR 81.6 million. After the latest amendment to the Programme made on 19 August 2021, this budget amounts to EUR 83 858 475 million.

The Operational Programme of the Lithuanian Fisheries Sector for 2014–2020 consists of 39 measures that are aimed at promoting competitiveness, environmentally sustainable, economically viable and socially responsible fisheries and aquaculture, implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), a balanced and inclusive development of fisheries and aquaculture regions, development and implementation of the European Union’s Integrated Marine Policy in a manner complementary to the cohesion policy and the CFP.

In 2022 applications were collected under 15 measures of the Operational Programme of the Lithuanian Fisheries Sector for 2014–2020, the most popular of which was the measure “Reduction of the Negative Impact of Russia’s Military Aggression Against the Ukraine” with 57 applications received under the measure. Applicants also found the measure “Protection and Restoration of Marine Biodiversity – Compensatory Systems for Damage Caused by Sea Mammals and Birds to Catches” of interest to them. 28 applications were submitted under this measure.

A total of 116 applications was collected under the measures of the Operational Programme of the Lithuanian Fisheries Sector for 2014–2020, where the total amount of support disbursed made up EUR 10.328 million in 2022.

List of measures:

UNION PRIORITY 1: Promoting environmentally sustainable, resource efficient, innovative, competitive and knowledge based fisheries

Objective 1. Reduction of the impact of fisheries on the marine environment, including the avoidance and reduction, as far as possible, of unwanted catches

1. Support for the design and implementation of conservation measures and regional cooperation
2. Limitation of the impact of fishing on the marine environment and adaptation of fishing to the protection of species
3. Fishing ports, landing sites, auction halls and shelters — investments to facilitate compliance with the obligation to land all catches

Objective 2. Protection and restoration of aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems

4. Protection and restoration of marine biodiversity — contribution to a better management or conservation, construction, installation or modernisation of static or movable facilities, preparation of protection and management plans related to NATURA 2000 sites and spatial protected areas, management, restoration and monitoring marine protected areas, including NATURA 2000 sites, environmental awareness, participation in other actions aimed at maintaining and enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services

Objective 3. Ensuring a balance between fishing capacity and available fishing opportunities

5. Support for the systems of allocation of fishing opportunities
6. Permanent cessation of fishing activities

Objective 4.  Enhancement of the competitiveness and viability of fisheries enterprises, including of small scale coastal fleet, and the improvement of safety or working conditions

7. Protection and restoration of marine biodiversity — schemes for the compensation of damage to catches caused by mammals and birds
8. Added value, product quality and use of unwanted catches
9. Fishing ports, landing sites, auction halls and shelters — investments improving fishing port and auctions halls infrastructure or landing sites and shelters; investments to improve the safety of fishermen
10. Temporary cessation of fishing activities

Objective 5. Provision of support to strengthen technological development and innovation, including increasing energy efficiency, and knowledge transfer

11. Partnerships between scientists and fishermen
12. Energy efficiency and mitigation climate change — On board investments, energy efficiency and audit schemes, studies
13. Energy efficiency and mitigation climate change — Engine replacement or modernisation

UNION PRIORITY 2: FOSTERING ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE, RESOURCE EFFICIENT, INNOVATIVE, COMPETITIVE AND KNOWLEDGE BASED AQUACULTURE

Objective 2. Enhancement of the competitiveness and viability of aquaculture enterprises, including improvement of safety or working conditions, in particular of SMEs

14. Productive investments in aquaculture

Objective 3. Protection and restoration of aquatic biodiversity and enhancement of ecosystems related to aquaculture and promotion of resource efficient aquaculture

15. Productive investments in aquaculture — increasing energy efficiency, renewable energy

Objective 4. Promotion of aquaculture having a high level of environmental protection, and the promotion of animal health and welfare and of public health and safety

16. Aquaculture providing environmental services
17. Animal health and welfare measures
18. Initiatives aimed at reducing the dependence of aquaculture on veterinary medicine
19. Public health measures 

UNION PRIORITY 3: FOSTERING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CFP

Objective 1. Improvement and supply of scientific knowledge and collection and management of data

20. Data collection

Objective 2. Provision of support to monitoring, control and enforcement, enhancing institutional capacity and the efficiency of public administration, without increasing the administrative burden

21. Control and enforcement

UNION PRIORITY 4. INCREASING EMPLOYMENT AND TERRITORIAL COHESION

Objective 1. Promotion of economic growth, social inclusion and job creation, and providing support to employability and labour mobility in coastal and inland communities which depend on fishing and aquaculture, including the diversification of activities within fisheries and into other sectors of maritime economy

22. Preparatory support
23. Implementation of local development strategies
24. Cooperation activities

UNION PRIORITY 5: FOSTERING MARKETING AND PROCESSING

Objective 1. Improvement of market organisation for fishery and aquaculture products

25. Production and marketing plans
26. Storage aid
27. Marketing measures

Objective 2. Encouragement of investment in the processing and marketing sectors

28. Processing of fishery and aquaculture products

UNION PRIORITY 6: FOSTERING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTEGRATED MARITIME POLICY

Objective 1: Development and implementation of the Integrated Maritime Policy

29. Improving the knowledge on the state of the marine environment