The aim of the call is to support the sustainability of fishing and aquaculture activities. It is available to scientific and technical bodies, universities, fisheries and aquaculture entities and non-governmental organizations, among others.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and the Environment, through the Biodiversity Foundation, has published in the Official Journal of the State a call for grants for the promotion and promotion of fisheries sustainability, under the framework of the programme. This call has an amount of EUR 4.1 million, co-financed by the European and Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The programme will support projects that contribute to improving the management of fisheries and aquaculture in marine protected areas and to strengthening the monitoring, recovery and awareness of these areas; promoting aquaculture that protects ecosystems and makes efficient use of resources; reducing the impacts of fisheries and aquaculture on the marine environment and enhancing the positive interactions of these activities with the environment through innovation.

In order to achieve these objectives, this call for grants is launched, which can be chosen by recognised scientific and technical bodies with the collaboration of representative entities of the fisheries and aquaculture sector, scientific or technical bodies of the autonomous communities, public research bodies (OPIS) and public and private universities based in Spain. It is also targeted in some of its axes at fishing and aquaculture operators and non-governmental organizations, among others. Projects submitted to the call must be carried out in more than one autonomous community or city, or in the marine environment of State competence or in areas protected and regulated as a basic part of State legislation. The maximum duration shall be 12 months.The maximum project budget will range from €50,000 to €400,000, depending on the focus on which the initiative is set. Innovation, advice, networks, protected areas, waste and awareness-raising are the areas that can be chosen in this call. The grant received may reach 75% of the total amount of the project, depending on the axis and characteristics of the beneficiary projects. In addition, projects must meet a number of requirements. They must therefore consider the active participation of fisheries and aquaculture operators in their proposal and implementation and have an applied approach and transfer of results to the sector. They should also include communication and / or awareness-raising activities. The aim is for institutions to submit projects in the field of environmental innovation aimed at reducing the negative effects that fishing and aquaculture activities may have on the environment. Professional advice on environmental sustainability and the collection, treatment and recovery of waste by fishermen are also a priority. The strengthening of the role of marine protected areas in the maintenance and empowerment of biodiversity, communication and awareness-raising with the participation of fishermen are other projects that may be beneficial. Applications, which are due on 5 May 2017, should be submitted on the website of the Biodiversity Foundation, www.fundation-bioversity.es