Brussels, 09/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - Agreement has recently been reached between the European Commission and the Republic of Mozambique on renewing the protocol of their fisheries partnership agreement for a further three years with effect from 1 January 2012.
The new protocol will come into force at the start of next year on expiry of the current protocol and will last for three years. It provides for a reduction in the reference tonnage from 10,000 tonnes to 8,000 tonnes to take account of the reduction in fishing effort since 2008 as a result of piracy. As a consequence, the annual European Union financial contribution, paid in compensation for access by its vessels to Mozambican waters, drops from €650,000 to €520,000.
The reference tonnage reduction is, however, to a large extent offset by a significant increase in the sectoral support for the implementation of Republic of Mozambique fisheries and maritime affairs policies. The envelope allocated rises from €250,000 per year to €460,000 per year.
The total European Union financial contribution (sums paid for access and for sectoral support) amounts, then, to €980,000 per annum and bears testament to the fine partnership relations between the EU and Mozambique, the Commission says in a press release. Fishing opportunities are offered for a total of 75 vessels - 43 seiners and 32 longliners.
The provisions of the new protocol and its appendix will facilitate the economic integration of the fishing activities of the European fleet in the national economy. Mozambique will have the opportunity to put seamen and observers on board the tuna vessels. Vessel owners will also make a financial contribution to the development of the national observer programme.
Among the various tuna agreements in the Indian Ocean region, the fisheries partnership agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mozambique has a particular strategic dimension in that it ensures geographical continuity for the seasonal work of the European tuna fleet. (L.C./transl.rt)