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"We wish to complete the development of the fishing ports of the region," Urmas Pirk, chairman of the board of the Association of Lake Peipsi Fishing Area Developers, said at an information event in the small town of Mustvee on June 2nd.

"By 2023 there should be 15 modern fishing ports in the fisheries area embracing the East-Viru, Jogeva, Tartu and Polva counties," Pirk said.

In addition investments are planned in the processing of fish to enable professional fishers to get a bigger share of the final value of their products.

One of the important areas of activity is opening the Lake Peipsi area to visitors, as at present the big border lake and its smaller adjacent bodies of water to the south are accessible only at a limited number of locations.

"That there are no decent access roads to the lake and services meant for tourists rather are scarce means that we are not fully exploiting the potential that Lake Peipsi has," Pirk said.

Consequently, the program's objectives include establishing new locations for recreation and swimming and an overhaul of existing ones, improving accommodation opportunities and putting 80 new boat places at public disposal.

According to the national investment packages adopted by the European Commission, the size of the investment package for Estonia under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) for 2014-2020 is 129.6 million euros, including 101 million in EU funds. Of that money 27.7 million euros is to be spent on the development of coastal areas.

According to the strategy for the Lake Peipsi fisheries area, of the 4.54 million euros earmarked for the region 30% will be invested in the reconstruction of fishing ports, 25% in diversification of activities within fisheries and into other sectors of maritime economy, 20% in the processing and marketing of fish products, 20% in advancing fishery traditions and 5% in the restoration of spawning areas.

There are altogether eight fisheries areas in Estonia.