EN Official Journal of the European Union C 180/20

Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 736/2008 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production, processing and marketing of fisheries products

(Text with EEA relevance)

2011/C 180/11

Aid No: SA.32621 (11/XF)

Member State: Finland

Region/authority granting the aid: Regional fisheries authority (Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment)

Title of aid scheme/name of company receiving ad hoc aid: Ammattikalastajan vesiympäristön hoito-ohjelma

Legal basis: Laki valtion talousarviosta (423/1988); tuki myönnetään eduskunnan maa- ja metsätalousministeriölle valtion talousarviossa kyseiseen tarkoitukseen osoittamasta määrärahasta.

Tuen myöntämisessä, valvonnassa ja takaisinperinnässä noudatetaan valtionavustuslakia (688/2001).

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or amount of ad hoc aid granted: A maximum of EUR 1 900 000

Maximum aid intensity: 100 % (aid is paid in the form of wages to those taking part in conserving the aquatic environment)

Date of entry into force: No earlier than 1 April 2011

Duration of the scheme or individual aid award (not later than 30 June 2014):

— the expected date of the last instalment to be paid: Not later than 30 June 2014

Objective of the aid: Measures to manage fish stocks and the aquatic environment: To improve the conditions of the fisheries industry and the usability of water bodies by removing low-value fish; collecting data on fish stocks and water quality. To support the removal of as large a quantity of nutrients as possible (phosphorus and nitrogen) from waters affected by eutrophication and the elimination of by-catch discarding.

Indicate which of Article(s) 8 to 24 is used: Article 17 on collective actions (Article 37(a), (j) and (l) of and Annex II, Group 1 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1198/2006) and Article 20 on the development of new markets

Activity concerned: Fishing will remove low-value fish from the lakes and from Baltic coastal waters affected by eutrophication. The measures will remove nutrients (primarily phosphorus and nitrogen), thereby helping to improve water quality and meet the objectives of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. The measures will restore balance to the ecosystem by freeing up living space for high-value fish stocks. Improving the living conditions of economically valuable fish will create better conditions for both professional and recreational fishing and will raise productivity. Once water quality is improved, it will be easier to use water bodies also for other purposes (e.g. swimming). The state of the aquatic environment and fish stocks will be observed and reported on.

Name and address of the granting authority: The granting authority may be one or more of the following Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment listed below:

Etelä-Savon elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus

PL 164

FI-50101 Mikkeli

SUOMI/FINLAND

Hämeen elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus

PL 131

FI-13101 Hämeenlinna

SUOMI/FINLAND

Kaakkois-Suomen elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus

PL 1041

FI-45101 Kouvola

SUOMI/FINLAND

Kainuun elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus

PL 115

FI-87101 Kajaani

SUOMI/FINLAND

Keski-Suomen elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus

PL 250

FI-40101 Jyväskylä

SUOMI/FINLAND

Lapin elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus

PL 8060

FI-96101 Rovaniemi

SUOMI/FINLAND

Pohjanmaan elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus

PL 131

FI-65101 Vaasa

SUOMI/FINLAND

Pohjois-Karjalan elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus

PL 69

FI-80101 Joensuu

SUOMI/FINLAND

Pohjois-Savon elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus

PL 2000

FI-70101 Kuopio

SUOMI/FINLAND

Uudenmaan elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus

PL 36

FI-00521 Helsinki

SUOMI/FINLAND

Varsinais-Suomen elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus

PL 236

FI-20101 Turku

SUOMI/FINLAND

Web address where the full text of the scheme or the criteria and conditions under which ad hoc aid is granted outside of an aid scheme can be found: http://www.mmm.fi/fi/index/etusivu/kalastus_riista_porot/elinkeinokalatalous/ammattikalastus.html

http://www.mmm.fi/sv/index/amnesomraden/fiske_vilt_renar/Fiskerinaring/yrkesfiske.html

Motivation: It was decided at national level that Finland's operational programme, approved by Commission Decision C(2007) 3735 of 20 November 2007, could not use the financial support of the European Fisheries Fund for selective fishing projects aimed at managing stocks. Projects of this type can therefore only be financed wholly at national level through funds allocated specifically by the Finnish Parliament.