Immediate aid for fishermen in Heraklion, Crete, in compensation for the temporary ban on fishing in the Gulf of Heraklion

Because of recent extreme weather events and flooding in Heraklion, Crete, the fixed and movable equipment of the biological wastewater treatment plant of the Heraklion Municipal Water Supply and Sewerage Enterprise was badly damaged and has ceased to function.

In order to protect public health, the competent authorities have responded by temporarily banning fishing for fish and other seafood in the Gulf of Heraklion in an area of up to two nautical miles of the coast.

The economic losses due to the fishing ban amount to EUR 200 a day for each of the total of 60 fishing vessels operating in the area; this translates into losses of more than EUR 12 000 a day for the fishermen of Heraklion who have been reduced to penury by the Memorandum.

At the same time, it has been reported that the Ministry of Rural Development and Food’s Special Fund which provides compensation in emergencies has no funds with which to compensate the fishermen of Heraklion, and funds cannot be paid from other reserves of the 2007-2013 Operational Programme for Fisheries, as they have already been earmarked for other actions.

In view of the above, will the Commission say what funds it will make available — and within which timeframe — to address the above emergency and provide the fishermen of Heraklion, Crete, with immediate and full compensation?

Source: European Parliament

Answer given by Mr Vella on behalf of the Commission

The European Fisheries Fund (EFF) 2007-2013 may contribute to the financing of aid measures for the temporary cessation of fishing activities for fishers and the owners of fishing vessels for a maximum duration six months, in the event of a natural disaster and/or closures of fisheries decided by Member States for reasons of public health or other exceptional occurrence which is not the result of resource conservation measures.

The Greek EFF Operational Programme (OP) 2007-2013 includes a measure of ‘public aid for the temporary cessation of fishing activities’ which provides for the economic compensation of fishermen hit by closure of fisheries for a specific time period for reasons of public health.

The Greek EFF OP 2007-2013 is managed under the shared management mode and the responsibility for the activation of the specific measure lies at national level. It is therefore for the Greek authorities and in particular of the Managing Authority of the Greek EFF to assess the case and decide whether to make use of the possibilities provided under the EFF under the conditions set therein.

European Parliament