Brussels, 17/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 17 June, the European Parliament's fisheries committee recommended approval of the protocol between the European Union and Cape Verde setting fishing opportunities and the financial compensation provided for in their fisheries partnership agreement.
The report by Peter van Dalen (ECR, Netherlands) was adopted by the committee and will be put to the plenary session in July.
A draft new protocol was initialled by negotiators on 28 August 2014. This new protocol covers a four-year period from the date of provisional application. The main goal of the protocol to the agreement is to provide fishing opportunities for EU vessels in the Cape Verde fishing zone in full compliance with the best available scientific opinion and the recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and, where it is possible, within the limits of the available surplus. The protocol provides fishing opportunities for: 28 tuna seiners (formerly 28), 30 surface longliners (formerly 35) and 13 pole-and-line tuna vessels (formerly 11).
The total value of the protocol for the four-year period is estimated to be €3.3 million. This sum comprises three components: €1.05 million as financial compensation for access to the resource; €1.05 million in support for the development of the Cape Verde fisheries policy; and €1.2 million in fees that ship owners have to pay.
Shark protection. In the protocol, the parties agreed to put in place rigorous monitoring of catches, including a quarterly exchange of data on shark catches. In adopting a second report on the protocol by Peter van Dalen, the fisheries committee says that the new monitoring mechanism, linked to 30% and 40% shark catch thresholds which trigger further measures, is a step in the right direction. The committee states that some species of shark (in particular, the blue shark and the shortfin mako shark, which make up 99% of all catches) are among the main species caught by the surface longline fleet. While these species are being fished within safe biological limits, MEPs say, they call on the Commission to inform Parliament of initiatives undertaken to ensure sustainable and responsible exploitation of this fishery. Parliament wishes to be informed of data obtained on shark stocks. (Lionel Changeur)