Brussels, 31/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 28 January, the EU Council of Ministers endorsed a new protocol to the fisheries deal between the EU and Côte d'Ivoire that was initialled on 9 January 2013, after the EP gave the go-ahead on 11 December (see EUROPE 10981).
The deal will run from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2018 and grant fishing licences to EU tuna-fishing ships. The agreement has been in force provisionally since 1 July 2013 and allows 28 frozen tuna seiners (12 from France and 16 from Spain) and 10 surface long-liners (7 from Spain and 3 from Portugal) to fish in Côte d''Ivoire waters.
The EU will pay Côte d'Ivoire €680,000, comprising €422,500 for the right to access Ivoirian waters, with a 6,500 reference tonnage per year, plus €257,500 to support the development of fishing in Côte d'Ivoire. The licences cost €5,390 for tuna seiners and €1,960 for surface long-liners. Financial compensation has gone up 42% on the 2007 agreement. The reference tonnage has decreased slightly from 7,000 tonnes a year in 2007 to 6,500 in 2013. The agreement notes that European ship owners must employ at least 20% of their staff from ACP countries and give priority to sailors from the Côte d'Ivoire. (LC/transl.fl)