The Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology stated today in Lisbon that the Azores will receive 74 million Euros from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) by 2020.

Fausto Brito e Abreu spoke at the end of a meeting with the Secretary of State for the Sea, where they discussed several topics of common interest between the Regional Government and the National Government. The meeting addressed the allocation of funds for the future Community framework of EMFF between Mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Regions as well the diploma proposal for the legal scheme on the classification and management of Marine Protected Areas.

"The Azores will receive a total of 73.8 million Euros. The amount includes the financial compensation for outermost regions, the former POSEI, amounting to 30.7 million Euros and the support measures for fisheries and aquaculture, which represents an investment of 39.7 million Euros," said Brito e Abreu.

The Regional Secretary for the Sea believes this "is a very positive outcome for the Region," pointing out that the increase of 19% over PROPESCAS, the former Community framework for the fisheries sector.

Brito e Abreu conveyed to the Secretary of State for the State the need to speed up the implementation of the EMFF, given its importance for the Region. In this context, the government official noted that the adoption of this programme has suffered several delays due to the late publication of Community legislation and negotiations between Portugal and Brussels.

The proposal for decree-law submitted by the National Government on the classification and management of Marine Protected Areas in the marine soil and subsoil as well as in the water column and surface was another topic under discussion at the meeting.

Fausto Brito e Abreu revealed that the preliminary analysis of the document evidences that "it is illegal and unconstitutional" since it does not respect the powers of the Region in these matters, according to the provisions in the National Constitution and the Political and Administrative Statute of the Autonomous Region of the Azores.

"This is an aggression of the National Government against the powers held by the Region regarding its marine environments," the Regional Secretary said, adding that "it poses a threat to the Azores Marine Park."

The Region has its own laws on the creation, classification and management of Marine Protected Areas located up to and beyond 200 miles, namely the marine protected areas  located within the Hydrothermal Rainbow Field, the Altair Seamount and MARNA.