Brussels, 23/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Council adopted without debate the decision establishing a new protocol to the fisheries agreement between the Community and the Seychelles for the period from 18 January 2002 to 17 January 2005 (see EUROPE of 2 October 2001). The arrangements for this agreement, essentially on tuna fishing, are practically unchanged compared to the earlier protocol. The annual catch possibilities of 46,000 tonnes of tuna, and the financial compensation (EUR 3 460 000 per year) remain unchanged. On the other hand, the number of vessels authorised to fish falls from 79 to 67: 40 tuna purse seiners (18 Spanish, 20 French, 1 Italian and 1 British) and 27 surface longliners (15 Spanish, 5 French and 7 Portuguese). The price of the licenses go from 7500 to 10 000 euros (per year and per boat) for tuna purse seiners and from 1000 and 135à to 1500 and 2000 euros for longliners.