An evaluation report commissioned by DG MARE at the European Commission and published on Friday 17 February recommends that the EU negotiate and conclude a tuna fisheries agreement with the Republic of Ghana.
The EU has never before concluded a fisheries agreement with Ghana, yet the EU fleet has been catching fish in its waters since 2007 using private permits.
The evaluation report supports the option that a fisheries agreement be concluded with the country, “with fishing opportunities for around 13 purse seine vessels, with financial contributions for access and sectoral support”. Under this option, a joint committee would be set up to oversee implementation. The risks associated with this option include “low value for money provided by EU funds if utilisation of fishing opportunities is low”, according to the report. Nonetheless, the overall objectives of sustainable exploitation of the fisheries resources, transparency, monitoring and control of the tuna fishery, financial stability, legal certainty for EU operators, enhanced cooperation between the EU and Ghana and human rights and democratic principles “would be more likely to be achieved” if such an agreement were to be concluded.
The other option (no EU-Ghana fisheries agreement) would be to leave vessel owners to negotiate access to Ghana’s exclusive economic zone.
Ghana has recently expressed interest in concluding an agreement with the EU following the lifting of the yellow card imposed by the EU because of the country’s failure to properly to address illegal fishing (see EUROPE 11457). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)