The crew of the fishing vessels will be eligible for aid during the closure of the cod fishery

Foto-LETA

Owners of fishing vessels and crew members who temporarily cease fishing for cod due to a nationally agreed marine conservation measure of marine living resources will have access to national and international support. European Union (EU) decided by the government on Tuesday.

In the annotation of the draft regulation on the procedure of granting state and EU aid to the Ministry of Agriculture in the measure 'Temporary Termination' fishing activities', it is stated that the Latvian fishing fleet fishing with certain fishing gear in certain sub-areas of the Baltic Sea is subject to a cod-specific fishing ban from 1 June to 31 August this year. For this reason, the shipowners concerned and their crew members are subject to a period of inactivity entailing costs and incomes.

Financial support will be provided to offset the idling costs and unearned income of the vessel concerned for each calendar month of the closed period during which the fishing vessel owner will terminate the fishery. The amount of public funding allocated to the time of detention of a fishing vessel is fixed at EUR 2.8 for each gross registered tonnage (GT) unit of a given fishing vessel. On the other hand, compensation for loss of income is based on the average amount of cod caught by the vessel during the period 2016-2018 in calendar months which are identical to the calendar months of the closed period, being the June 1st to August 31st. The average selling price of cod of EUR 1.40 per kilogram is applied to the cod stock.

The owner of a fishing vessel holding a special license for cod fishing in the Baltic Sea, which has fished cod in the Baltic Sea from 2016 to 2018, which will cease all fishing activity with a gear equipped with some machines of a minimum length of 12 meters, will be able to benefit from the help. if the vessel has not been fished at sea for at least 120 days during the last two calendar years preceding the filing of the project application. The owner of the fishing vessel shall ensure that the vessel is at the port at the time of cessation of fishing. During this time, the vessel must not leave the port. If the fishing vessel concerned continues to fish for another species, its owner will not be eligible for public funding for the temporary cessation of cod fishing activities.

Fishermen working on a fishing vessel that will cease fishing and have been working on the vessel for at least 120 days at sea will also be eligible for public funding for the event. In order to qualify for badistance, compulsory social security contributions must be paid into the state budget for a specified period of time.

For each calendar month of the closed period during which the fisherman will not work, financial support will be provided to compensate for the loss of earnings. The amount of public funding is fixed at € 39 for each working day of the calendar month concerned.

The draft Regulation entitled "Procedure for granting State and European Union support under the measure" temporary cessation of fishing activities "" will enter into force after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Official Gazette "Latvijas Vēstnesis".