Brussels, 11/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission and the Ivory Coast have signed a new 3-year fisheries protocol to their fisheries agreement for the period 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2007. Fishing possibilities have been slightly increased for French, Spanish and Portuguese ships for deep water species and tuna. The Council of the EU still has to approve this agreement in order to facilitate its entry into force after the opinion of the European Parliament. This new protocol will be the fifth under the fisheries agreement which was concluded in 1990 between the EU and the Ivory Coast.
Under this agreement the number of tuna vessels has been reduced from 71 to 48. There will now be 34 tuna seiners, 11 surface longliners and 3 pole and line vessels and fishing possibilities will be increased from 8500 to 9000 tonnes. As for deep-water trawlers, the level has been slightly increased from 600 Gross Registered Tonnes (GRT) per month on an annual level to 700 GRT.
The financial contribution, to be increased by 11% to € 1,065,000 a year. The share of the EU financial contribution to be allocated to measures designed to achieve sustainable fisheries under the so-called "partnership" agreements will increase from the current 71.3% to 100% under the new protocol. The measures to be financed include: scientific research programmes (€ 200,000); support to the control and monitoring of fisheries activities and the establishment of a satellite vessel monitoring programme (€ 280,000); improving fisheries statistics (€ 100,000); support to the Ivory Coast's fisheries management institutions (€ 485,000). A scientific committee will be set up. It will monitor the state of fish stocks in the waters of the Ivory Coast and provide advice on fisheries management. The two Parties are committed to fighting illegal fishing practices which threaten the fisheries resources in this area.