Professional fishers in Lombardy, Italy, have a live funding window to strengthen their businesses — €350,000 is on offer under the FEAMPA 2021–2027 programme, with applications open from 6 October 2026 until 21 December 2026. If you fish professionally in Lombardy, this is a call worth reading before the December deadline.
Images in this post are illustrations, not photographs of the scheme or its applicants.
Scheme at a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Programme | FEAMPA 2021–2027 — European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (Lombardy call) |
| Total budget for this call | €350,000 |
| Co-financing | FEAMPA + National Fund + Regional Budget |
| Applications open | 6 October 2026 (Tuesday) |
| Applications close | 21 December 2026 (Monday) |
| Who can apply | Professional inland fishing businesses and young professional fishermen operating in Lombardy, Italy |
| Support type | Capital grant; an advance payment may be requested, settled after final inspection |
| Status on 25 October 2026 | OPEN — window still running, deadline in the future |
What the Money Covers — Funding Rates
The support rate depends on what you invest in:
- 100% funding — projects that add value to fishery products and projects that improve safety and working conditions.
- 50% funding — business diversification activities.
- 40% funding — purchase of a first fishing boat.
- €15,000 start-up grant — also available to eligible applicants, subject to the programme’s conditions.
Note the headline carefully: the €350,000 is the total budget for the whole call, shared across successful applicants — it is not €350,000 per fisher. Your own grant depends on your project type, its eligible costs, and the rate above.
Eligible Activities
- Adding value to the catch — investment in initial processing and direct sales, so fishers capture more value from what they land.
- Business diversification — developing additional income-generating activities and new business opportunities.
- Training and skills development — professional learning that strengthens skills in the fishing sector.
- Improving safety and working conditions — measures that make fishing work safer and day-to-day conditions better.
- First fishing boat — purchase support for eligible young professional fishermen, at the 40% rate above.
Who Should Apply
This call is aimed at:
- Professional inland fishing businesses operating in Lombardy; and
- Young professional fishermen in Lombardy, including those starting or developing a fishing career.
Applicants must meet the conditions set out in the official funding guidelines — eligibility, eligible costs, and required documents are defined there, not in summaries of the call.
How to Apply — and the One Check You Must Do First
Before applying, confirm the latest eligibility criteria, funding rates, application procedure, and required documents in the official FEAMPA funding call for Lombardy, published through the Regione Lombardia bandi portal (bandi.regione.lombardia.it). Prepare your business information, project documentation, and cost estimates in line with the official guidelines, and submit before 21 December 2026.
A strong application explains the investment in plain terms, shows how it fits the call’s priorities (product value, diversification, training, safety, or working conditions), presents a realistic budget matched to the applicable funding rate, and sets out measurable benefits — such as increased direct sales or improved safety procedures.
Why This Call Matters
Lombardy’s inland fishing sector is small compared with Italy’s sea fisheries, but it supports livelihoods, local food supply, and lakeside communities. A call that funds processing, direct sales, diversification, and safer working conditions — with up to 100% support for value-add and safety projects — is a genuine chance for professional fishers to invest without carrying the full cost alone. The catch, as always with EU co-funded calls, is the paperwork: read the official guidelines first, apply early, and do not leave it to the final week.
Sources & Fact-Check Note
Figures and dates verified 25 October 2026 against the FEAMPA Lombardy call summary published 9 October 2026 (total €350,000; window 6 October – 21 December 2026; rates 50% diversification / 40% first boat / 100% value-add and safety / €15,000 start-up grant; capital-grant payment with possible advance settled after final inspection; eligibility: professional inland fishing businesses and young professional fishermen in Lombardy). The FEAMPA 2021–2027 programme is the EU’s European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund. No per-applicant grant figure beyond the €15,000 start-up grant is stated in the call summary, so none is claimed here. Readers should verify the official call on the Regione Lombardia bandi portal before applying, as summaries do not replace the official rules. No expired windows: the 21 December 2026 deadline is in the future as of publication.