Brussels, 10/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 10 December, the European Parliament, with its adoption of the report by Jean Louis Cottigny, approved the new fisheries agreement (initialled on 9 January 2013) between the EU and Côte d'Ivoire.
Lasting five years (from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2018), the agreement provides fishing possibilities for European tuna fleets and has been provisionally applied since 1 July 2013. The agreement provides for fishing opportunities allocated to two types of vessels, 28 freezer tuna seiners and 10 French and Spanish surface longliners. The financial contribution paid by the EU amounts to €680,000: €422,500 for rights of access to Côte d'Ivoire's exclusive economic zone, with a reference tonnage set at 6,500 tonnes a year, plus €257,000 to support the development of the sectoral fisheries policy in the Côte d'Ivoire. The licence fee will be €5,390 for tuna seiners and €1,960 for surface longliners. The financial compensation is 42% higher than in the 2007 protocol. The reference tonnage, on the other hand, decreased slightly from 7,000 tonnes a year in 2007 to 6,500 tonnes in 2013. The protocol also provides that at least 20% of the crews employed by European shipowners on their vessels shall consist of seamen who are nationals of ACP countries, with priority being accorded to seamen of Ivoirian nationality. (LC/transl.jl)