Brussels, 03/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - At the second round of negotiations, which were held in Dakar from 27 to 30 June, the EU and Senegal failed to conclude a new bilateral fisheries agreement. This failure was announced in Dakar on 30 June, by the Director-General with responsibility for relations with third countries within DG Fisheries at the European Commission, Cesar Deben Alfonso. The current agreement, which has been in force since 1 July 2002, expired on 30 June. It provides for fishing possibilities for tuna and various crustaceans for 55 tuna vessels (31 Spanish and 24 French) and 23 surface longliners (20 Spanish and three Portuguese). But financial compensation paid by the EU is set at 16 million EUR a year (EUROPE 8367).
This breakdown in negotiations means that Community vessels can, in principle, no longer go and fish in the territorial waters of Senegal until there is a replacement agreement in place, explained the high-level Commission employee, quoted by the newsagency AFP. Mr Deben explained that discussions had faltered because the EU agreed to reduce its fishing rights in Senegalese waters, but only on the condition that Dakar would agree to a corresponding reduction in the financial compensation paid by the EU to the Senegalese State. "We were asking for a 60% reduction in fishing rights and hoped to reduce the envelope as well, even though we were prepared to make an effort, but Senegal would not hear of any reduction in the envelope", said Mr Deben.
The first consequence of this failure is the departure of the European fishing fleet from the waters of Senegal as of 30 June, announced Mr Deben, who nonetheless took pains to stress about cooperation between the EU and Senegal would remain unaffected. "Senegal is a leading country in its region, there is no break-up, no drama, and there is still the possibility that we will reach a compromise", said Mr Deben, who stressed that the European share of the fishing in Senegal was minimal, in the order of 2% of all catches in the territorial waters of the country.