The European Union and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania successfully concluded, on Wednesday 28 July in Brussels, the negotiations for the renewal of the bilateral agreement on sustainable fisheries.
The five-year agreement provides for access by the European fleet to Mauritanian waters to fish for crustaceans, demersal fish, tuna and small pelagics, for a total of approximately 290,000 tonnes (t) per year (see EUROPE 12681/9).
During the first years of the protocol, in addition to the catches paid by European fishermen, the EU will spend €57.5 million per year on the partnership.
On top of this amount, the EU will pay €16.5 million spread over the duration of the protocol, as sectoral support to accompany the implementation of the Mauritanian national strategy by measures approved jointly.
With this new protocol, the European Union and Mauritania reiterate their desire to generate more wealth and employment opportunities in Mauritania, while ensuring the continuation of fishing activities for European vessels traditionally operating in Mauritanian waters.
The fishing opportunities are as follows: - vessels fishing for crustaceans, with the exception of lobster and crab (5,000 t); - black hake trawlers (non-freezer) and bottom longliners (6,000 t); - fish trawlers (freezers) for black hake (black hake: 3,500 t, squid: 1,450 t and cuttlefish: 600 t); - vessels fishing for demersal species other than black hake with gear other than trawls (3,000 t); - tuna seiners (14,000 t) ; - tuna pole-and-line vessels and surface longliners (7,000 t); - pelagic freezer trawlers (225,000 t) ; - pelagic non-freezer trawlers (15,000 t); - cephalopods (for the record). More info: https://bit.ly/3x6DadL (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)