European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF): UK Managing Authority (UKMA)
Learn about how the UK Managing Authority (UKMA) manage the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF).
Operational Programme
Articles 17 to 20 of the EMFF Regulation (EU) 508/2014 require participating states to produce an ‘operational programme’ for the EMFF. The operational programme sets out how states intend to spend their EMFF budget and is subject to approval by the European Commission (EC) and the UK Programme Monitoring Committee (PMC). The Programme Monitoring Committee is composed of representatives from Industry and EMFF Authorities; members are responsible to review the implementation of the Operational Programme and the UK progress toward achieving its objectives. The original operational programme was approved by PMC and submitted to the European Commission on 30th October 2015 and adopted by the Commission on the 30th November 2015, enabling the launch of the EMFF in the UK by the Minister on 8th February 2016.
Since launching, the UK have submitted two requests to the PMC and the EC to modify the operational programme, both requests were approved in 2020.
The first amendment was triggered by the need to reallocate the EMFF performance reserve (€0.3 million) for Integrated Maritime Policy. This amendment provided further opportunity for devolved administrations to review their core budgets and set out options for budget moves to meet their respective industry demands. The 2023 targets pertinent to the UK scheme were modified based on actual scheme performance, many targets were stretched to better reflect the value of the UK’s €243million investment. This amendment was approved by PMC on the 12th December 2019 and adopted by the Commission on the 26th March 2020.
The second amendment was made in response to the Commission’s implementation of Regulation (EU) 2020/560 which provided measures to mitigate the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the fishery and aquaculture sectors, as well as the flexibility to move funding from previously ring fenced areas. This amendment enabled UK Intermediate Bodies to deliver Coronavirus response schemes through the EMFF. England and Northern Ireland set out initiatives for the catching sector focussing on Health and Safety and Temporary Cessation of fishing efforts respectively. Support to aquaculture enterprises was established through Public Health Measures in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. This amendment was approved by PMC on the 9th June 2020 and adopted by the Commission on the 12th August 2020.
The third amendment to the Operational Programme enabled the re-allocation of surplus funding planned for Coronavirus-response initiatives and from those under-performing measures into more heavily subscribed measure. This also allowed further opportunities in utilising any remaining allocation to plan for existing projects’ requirements, particularly where projects are likely to increase in value as a result of external factors including exchange fluctuation, Coronavirus and the Ukraine Crisis.
This amendment was approved by PMC on the 15th December 2022 and adopted by the Commission on the 16th February 2023.
The Operational Programme amendments undertaken to date have facilitated an increase of €1.9million EMFF into industry-facing measures.
You can view an approved copy of the current operational programme alongside the Commission Implementing Decision here:
Previous versions of the UK operational programme and Commission Implementing Decisions are archived here:
Funding is available to the devolved administrations (Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales) according to the EC priorities for the fund. This allows the devolved administrations to manage their own projects. The allocations are split between core funding, control funding and data collection framework funding, approximate figures are shown below:
Core funding in millions (for projects needing EMFF support)
| England | Scotland | Wales | Northern Ireland | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sustainable Fisheries | €31.7 | €25.9 | €4.1 | €10.8 | €72.5 |
| Sustainable Aquaculture | €2.4 | €13.3 | € 3.4 | €0.9 | €20.1 |
| Fisheries Local Action Groups | €4.6 | €5.9 | €1.5 | €1.7 | €13.7 |
| Processing and Marketing | €6.2 | €15.0 | €1.2 | €1.1 | €23.4 |
| Integrated Maritime Policy | €1.7 | €2.8 | €0.4 | €0.2 | €5.2 |
| Technical Assistance | €5.7 | €3.9 | €0.9 | €0.2 | €10.7 |
| Total Core | €52.3 | €66.7 | €11.6 | €14.8 | €145.5 |
Control funding in millions (for control and enforcement activity)
| England | Scotland | Wales | Northern Ireland | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control Funding | €19.7 | €21.8 | €2.4 | €1.7 | €45.7 |
Data Collection Framework funding in millions (to deliver the data collection work programme)
| England | Scotland | Wales | Northern Ireland | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Collection Framework | €23.9 | €19.4 | €1.7 | €7.0 | €52 |
Total funding in millions
| England | Scotland | Wales | Northern Ireland | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | €95.9 | €108.0 | €15.8 | €23.5 | €243.1 |
MMO role
The MMO acts as the managing authority for the UK on behalf of Defra. The Managing Authority makes sure the devolved administrations are on track to deliver the operational programme.
Main Functions
- manage the operational programme; this is the UK’s plan for how we will spend the money, which has been agreed by the European Commission
- make sure projects selected for EMFF funds are eligible for funding, help deliver the operational programme and fall within the scope of the Fund(s) concerned
- confirm that funded projects have delivered and that the applicant them self has paid for the work undertaken
- make sure computerised systems are in place to record and store all data relating to each application for EMFF funding.
- ensuring data is collected to support effective management of the fund, including performance monitoring of the devolved administrations
- set up procedures to make sure there is a proper audit trail and that the certifying and audit authorities have all necessary information about funding paid
- guide the work of the UK Programme Monitoring Committee and provide members with quarterly updates relating to the progress of the operational programme. The UK Programme Monitoring Committee oversees implementation of the operational programme.
- comply with the European Commission’s information and publicity requirements
Reports
The UKMA also have reporting responsibilities, these include:
- reporting to the Commission with annual and final reports of implementation
- reporting quarterly to the Programme and Monitoring Committee on the UK’s progress and that of the devolved administrations to ensure transparency
Please read the latest implementation reports:
Transparency Initiative
Administrations make public all beneficiaries of the grant aid from EMFF:
England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland
Further Information
EMFF Regulation
Common provisions regulation
Common Fisheries Policy
England EMFF Scheme
Scotland EMFF Scheme
Wales EMFF Scheme
Northern Ireland EMFF Scheme
Contact
Martin Smith
Head of UK EMFF Managing Authority
Marine Management Organisation (MMO) Lancaster House, Hampshire Court, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 7YH
Direct line: 0208 026 5371
E-mail: martin.smith@marinemanagement.org.uk
Last updated 21 September 2023 + show all updates
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New attachments added and core funding figures updated.
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Wales link update
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Updates
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New text
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Operational programme added
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EMFF 2015 implementation reports published
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First published.