The European Commission proposes to amend the Fempa regulation to raise the age of the 'young fisherman' to 40 years and cover 60% of the cost of their first vessel. It will also allow support for the generational transfer of fishing companies and double the percentage of funds for specific measures.
The European Commission has proposed to amend the regulation of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (Fempa) to set the age of the "young fisherman" at 40 years, aiming to address the generational transition issue in the community fleet. The proposal, as published by Faro de Vigo, also plans to increase the maximum intensity of public aid for young fishermen purchasing their first vessel from 40% to 60%.
The government of Ursula von der Leyen aims to simplify and make more flexible the budget allocated to vessels and the rest of the value chain of the fishing sector, including its industry. Another new feature is that support will be allowed for the transfer of ownership of a fishing company between generations, facilitating business continuity.
In parallel, Brussels proposes to double the maximum percentage of the total amount allocated to each member state that can be used to subsidise the purchase of vessels, modernise engines, increase fleet capacity (as long as it is to improve safety, working conditions or energy efficiency) and provide financial support to fishermen who are forced to stop, from 15% to 30%. The current regulation limits this allocation to six million euros or 15% of the total assigned to each country.
The proposal comes after the European Union concluded the first quarter of 2026 without having yet used 77% of the funds allocated to fishing between 2021 and 2027, a delay that led Brussels to launch a public consultation to reform the foundations of Fempa. The Commission has, however, ruled out raising the age limit for the "young fisherman" to 45 years, a request made by various fishing associations.
The first social diagnosis of the sector prepared by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (Stecf) found a 15% reduction in crew numbers between 2017 and 2023, down to 120,000 personnel. Experts warned that "a perfect storm is emerging in the socio-economic fishing system".
The European Commission has acknowledged that "some rules are difficult to apply and certain funding opportunities are perceived as too rigid to unlock the investments needed by the sector." The proposed amendment to Fempa will now need to follow its community processing before coming into force.
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