Brussels, 11/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - On 5 June, the European Commission adopted proposals on the new EU/Guinea-Bissau fisheries agreement for a three-year period. The new protocol was initialled on 10 February 2012.
The main objective of the agreed protocol is to provide fishing opportunities for European Union vessels in Guinea-Bissau waters within the limits of the available surplus. The protocol includes fishing opportunities in the following categories: 3,700 GRT for shrimp freezer trawlers (Spanish, Greek and Portuguese vessels), 3,500 GRT for fin-fish/cephalopod freezer trawlers (Spain, Italy and Greece), 28 tuna seiners/surface long-liners (14 Spain, 12 France and 2 Portugal), 12 pole-and-line tuna vessels (9 Spain, 3 France). The financial return paid by the EU is €9.2 million a year: an annual amount of €6.2 million for access to fish resources in the exclusive economic zone of Guinea-Bissau: - a specific €3 million payment per year for supporting the country's sectoral fisheries policy. (LC/transl.fl)