Brussels, 04/10/2004 (Agence Europe) - On 29 September, the European Commission adopted the proposal on the new protocol to the fisheries agreement between the EU and Côte d'Ivoire. An agreement on the new protocol for three years (from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2007) had been signed between the parties and announced in March (EUROPE of 12 March 2004). The EU Council of Ministers is to approve the decision to allow the new protocol to the fisheries agreement to take effect.
Fishing possibilities foreseen are: - refrigeration trawlers for demersal fishing (catches of deep water crustaceans, cephalopods and deep-water species of fish): 1300 GT (gauge) per month on a monthly average for Spanish vessels; - tuna fishing: 34 tuna purse seiners (17 French vessels and 17 Spanish vessels), 11 surface longliners (6 Spanish vessels and 5 Portuguese vessels) and 3 pole and line tuna vessels (under French flag). The EU financial contribution amounts to EUR 1.065 million annually.