The Strategic Plan in the Fisheries Sector is a national sectoral plan of Latvia for the period 2007-2013. Its main objective is to achieve sustainable use opportunities of fish resources for the next generations and welfare of the persons engaged in fisheries.
The plan seeks to make fisheries more productive and sustainable. Specifically, it provides for integrated and sustainable development of areas important to fisheries and human resources dependent on the fisheries; preservation of water environment, fauna and flora; efficient control in all fish circulation phases and wise administration of sustainable use of fish resources and implementation of environment protection requirements; restocking measures of fish stocks and protection measures, recovery of fish spawning areas, as well as construction and improvement of fish migration routes; support to aquaculture companies which subject or ground their operation on the preservation principles of natural resources and genetic diversity; support to aquaculture companies, whose operation is restricted by the determination and establishment of Natura 2000 territories; and support to aquaculture companies for breeding the biological production.
In order to enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, the following measures are set out in the Plan: (1) adjusted and competitive fishing companies and Latvian fishing fleet by adjustment of fishing fleet capacity with the fish resources available to Latvia; modernisation of fishing fleet, by increasing its economic viability without increasing the total fishing capacity; and improving port infrastructure to ensure the operation of fishing vessels; (2) aquaculture, inland waters fishing and processing companies producing qualitative products with high added value and corresponding to the market demand, which will be achieved through improvement of fishing gear for inland waters; facilitation of operation of competitive, technologically modern aquaculture companies; and an increase of competitiveness of fish processing companies; and (3) development of skills of persons employed in the sector and improvement of areas important to fisheries through the facilitation of development of areas important to fisheries.
The Strategic Plan is implemented with the help of the European Fisheries Fund (EFF). The functions of managing authority in relation to the EFF support will be carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture of Latvia. To introduce the EFF for the planning period of 2007-2013, the managing authority will elaborate the regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia, which will stipulate the EFF management in Latvia. Monitoring of the Strategic Plan in relation to the measures, which are financed by the EFF, will be provided by the Monitoring Committee of the EFF. The Monitoring Committee will be founded, taking into account partnership and gender equality principles, comprising of representatives from the EFF institutional framework, other institutions of the European Union funds and structure funds, representatives from the fisheries sector and authorities, organisations related to fisheries sector, and the representatives of other non-governmental, economic and social partners.