Brussels, 22/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - Negotiations between the EU and Senegal on the renewal of their fisheries protocol, which expired last December, have once again been suspended. The eighth round of negotiations was held in Brussels from Tuesday to Thursday. It ended in failure with respect to resolving the financial contributions to be paid to Senegalese authorities to compensate for the fishing possibility allowed to European fishing vessels. In addition to biological rest periods and fishing zone limits, the Senegalese proposed the sum of EUR 20 million per year, but the Commission would only be willing to grant half this amount. The Commission was reportedly willing to make a small financial effort, on condition that additional fishing rights be granted. This was refused by the Senegalese authorities because of the state of stocks. Negotiations should resume in coming weeks.
Fishing activities by EU vessels (Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian and Greek), which had to end on 1 January, essentially concerned tuna, deep-water shrimp, demersal species such as hake, and species living in shallower waters such as cephalopods and groupers. Financial compensation paid by the Community in the context of the last protocol rose to EUR 48 million over four years.