23/11/2016 (Agence Europe) – The Commission published a report on Tuesday 22 November which recommends that the Commission negotiate a further protocol to the fisheries agreement between the EU and the Republic of Guinea Bissau (see EUROPE 11385). The current protocol expires at the end of 2017 and the Commission must now examine the report before seeking a mandate from Council to negotiate a new protocol. The experts say that, in the new protocol, the contributions from European shipowners should increase in order to rebalance costs (80% borne by the EU). They suggest: - maintaining the number of licences of the two existing tuna categories (tuna pole-and-line vessels, and tuna purse seiners and longliners); - maintaining fishing opportunities for cephalopod vessels (but only at levels that do not endanger the sustainability of the stock). (LC)