Andalusia announces 755,000 euros in grants for sustainable fishing vessels

The Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development of the Junta de Andalucía has announced grants for the year 2026 totaling 755,000 euros destined for investments in equipment and on board fishing vessels with a base port in Andalusia that reduce the impact of fishing on the marine environment, support the gradual elimination of discards, and facilitate the transition to a sustainable exploitation of marine biological resources. The call is formalized through the Order of September 7, 2026, published in the Official Gazette of the Junta de Andalucía (BOJA) no. 185, of September 23, 2026, with the full text on page 12268 (text no. 12268) and the extract on page 12269 (text no. 12269). The measure is aimed at shipowners, vessel owners, and shore-based fishers.

The call is based on the regulatory bases established by the Order of June 26, 2024 (BOJA no. 127, of July 2, 2024) and is part of the Operational Program of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) 2021-2027, within Priority 1 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1139, aimed at promoting sustainable fishing and the conservation of aquatic biological resources. The order bears the signature of the regional minister Ramón Fernández-Pacheco Monterreal, while the published extract appears signed, by authorization, by the vice-minister Consolación Vera Sánchez. The call has the identifier BDNS 929265.

Amount and financing

• 155,000 euros charged to the 2026 financial year and 600,000 euros in 2027, with multi-annual commitments.
• Budget lines: 1200120000 G/71P/77300/00 and G4110201A6 2024001206.
• Maximum additional amount of 3,000,000 euros, which could be incorporated without the need for a new call.
• Maximum aid intensity of 75% of the investment when the project is of an innovative nature.

Who can apply

• Natural and legal persons, as well as communities of assets or civil societies, who are owners of the fishing vessel or its shipowners, provided there is an agreement between the owner and the shipowner.
• Shore-based fishers who own the gear to be replaced and who have worked at least 60 days during the two calendar years prior to the application.
• Investments may not result in an increase in the gross tonnage of the vessel.

Deadline, processing, and resolution

• The submission period is ten business days starting from the day following the publication of the summary, released on September 23, 2026.
• Submission is exclusively electronic, via procedure code 25513 of the Electronic Office of the Junta de Andalucía.
• The instruction corresponds to the Grant Management and Diversification Service of the Directorate General for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Blue Economy.
• The resolution is issued by the head of the Directorate General for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Blue Economy within a maximum period of six months, with negative administrative silence.
• A maximum advance of 20% is permitted before the justification of the investment and without the requirement of a guarantee.

Eligible Investments

• Equipment to eliminate discards, avoiding and reducing unwanted catches of commercial populations.
• Equipment that limits or eliminates the physical and biological effects of fishing activity on the ecosystem, other living beings, or the seabed.
• Equipment to protect gear and catches from protected mammals and birds, without reducing the selectivity of the gear.
• Purchase and installation of flying doors, whose innovative nature is verified ex officio by the managing body; for the rest of the investments, a report from an entity accredited by the National Accreditation Entity (ENAC) is required.

The call comes at a time of pressure on the Andalusian fishing sector to adapt to the landing obligation and decarbonization goals, and offers direct European funding to a highly fragmented fleet, with special attention to artisanal fishing and shore-based fishers. The reduced period of ten business days forces shipowners and crews to urgently prepare the required technical documentation and justifying reports.

Source: Official Gazette of the Junta de Andalucía, no. 185, of September 23, 2026, section 1. General provisions, pp. 12268-12269 (official reference: texts no. 12268 and 12269).