Brussels, 11/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - On 10 January, France announced that the European Commission had approved its development plan for its overseas departments' fishing fleet (Reunion, Guiana, Martinique and Guadeloupe). For these outermost regions as a whole, ceilings rise from 243,836 kilowatt (kW) and 29,581 gross tonnage (GT) to 392,365 kW and 35,154 GT, gains of 63% in engine power and 23% in tonnage. The government points out that it had succeeded in having national aid for vessel construction in outermost regions retained until the end of 2006. At the request of French authorities, this “has been extended until 31 October 2007”, says a press release from the French ministry. The aid will allow vessels to be built and thus use the new available capacity. (lc)