The European Union and Seychelles have reached a compromise on the content of a new six-year bilateral fisheries agreement, the European Commission announced on Thursday 24 October.
This is the most important tuna agreement in force for the EU, both financially and in terms of fishing opportunities (see EUROPE 12294/30).
It will enable the EU fleet, 40 tuna purse-seiners (Spanish, French and Italian) and 8 long-liners to continue fishing in Seychelles waters for a reference tonnage of 50 000 tonnes of tuna.
The EU will provide Seychelles with an annual financial contribution of 5.3 million euros, of which 2.8 million euros will be used to promote sustainable management of fisheries in Seychelles and support the development of small-scale fisheries. Over the entire duration of the Protocol, the total estimated value, including the contribution of EU ship-owners for the purchase of licences, amounts to 58.2 million euros, or 9.7 million euros per year.
The new agreement respects the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the Commission says. For the first time, payments from European ship-owners will also include a special contribution to a fund for Seychelles to improve environmental management and observation of marine ecosystems. More details: https://bit.ly/32PH8sY (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)