Brussels, 24/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 24 July, European Commissioner for Fisheries Maria Damanaki and Morocco's Minister for Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries Aziz Akhannouch initialled a four-year protocol to the fisheries partnership agreement (FPA) between the EU and Morocco. The protocol is “consistent with the reform of the external dimension of the EU common fisheries policy in that it places a strong emphasis on scientific advice, economic profitability, good governance and respect of international law. Sustainability is ensured by restricting activity to the surplus resources in all fisheries”, the European Commission states.
The financial envelope to be received by Morocco will be €40 million a year. The total cost to the Union of the new protocol will be €30 million a year, €16 million of which will be paid to Morocco in return for access to the resource. The remaining €14 million will go to support the Moroccan fisheries sector. The contribution of the ship owners has been estimated at €10 million.
Many member states (mainly Spain, but also Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, the Netherlands, Ireland, Poland and the United Kingdom) have an interest in the FPA concluded with Morocco, which covers six fishing categories (industrial and small-scale fleet segments).
EUROPE can set out the fishing opportunities laid down in the protocol: small-scale tuna fishing (27 vessels), northern small-scale fishing (35 vessels), southern small-scale “lines and rods” fishing (10 vessels), northern pelagic fishing and seines (20 vessels), demersal fishing (16 vessels) and industrial pelagic fishing (18 vessels). The Commission is to make proposals to the Council, including on sharing out the fishing opportunities between the member states. The European Parliament will approve or reject the text of the agreement, which the Moroccan Parliament must also ratify. (LC/transl.fl)