Brussels, 29/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 28 June, the Council of Ministers adopted, without debate, a decision authorising the European Commission, acting on behalf of the European Union, to open negotiations on renewing the protocol to the fisheries partnership agreement with Gabon. The current protocol, which came into force on 3 December 2005, will expire on 2 December 2011. It provides for a financial contribution of €860,000, 60% of which is to support the fisheries policy put in place by Gabon. The agreement, part of the network of tuna agreements in West Africa, authorises 24 tuna seiners (12 from Spain and 12 from France) and 16 surface longliners (13 Spanish and 3 Portuguese) to fish in Gabonese waters. (L.C./transl.rt)