Brussels, 23/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - With its adoption on Wednesday 21 January of the report by Norica Nicolai (ALDE, Romania), the European Parliament budgets committee recommended approval of conclusion of the new fisheries agreement between the EU and Senegal. The plenary session vote will take place at the start of February.
The duration of the protocol is 5 years. The total estimated financial contribution is €13,930,000 to be distributed as follows: a) €8,690,000, financial contribution allocated between annual financial compensation and support for the Senegalese fisheries policy, for a reference tonnage for highly migratory species of 14,000 tonnes per year; b) €5,240,000, corresponding to the estimated levies payable by the vessel owners for the fishing authorisations.
Three categories of vessels will be allowed to fish in Senegalese waters - 28 tuna seiners, 8 pole and line vessels and 2 trawlers (targeting black hake). Fishing opportunities will be divided among the member states as follows: -tuna seiners - Spain 16 vessels, France 12 vessels; pole and line - Spain 7 vessels, France 1 vessel; trawlers - Spain 2 vessels.
The tuna seiners and pole and line vessels will pay a fee for each tonne caught in the Senegalese waters, from €55 in the first year to €70 for the fifth year. At the same time, for the fishing authorisation, a flat-rate is to be paid: a) for tuna seiners, from €13,750 for 250 tonnes of fish per year in the first year of protocol, increasing to €17,500 in the fifth year; b) for pole-and-line vessels the flat-rate will start at €8,250, rising to €10,500 for 150 tonnes of fish per year in the fifth year.
The EU has given a commitment that at least 20% of men employed on board its vessels fishing in Senegalese waters will be from Senegal or one of the ACP countries. (LC)