Earlier this week in Brussels the European Commission confirmed the renewal of the existing fishing agreement between the EU and Guinea Conakry for a period of five years.
The agreement allows the Communitarian fleet to continue operating in the EEZ announced the Ministry of Food, Fishery and Agriculture (MAPA).
The treaty’s new protocol starts January 2004. It meets the same catch registry for shellfish as in the previous agreement, i.e. the monthly average of 1,500 tons gross. For the category fish and cephalopods, the quantity will remain the same during the first year, i.e. 2,500 tons, with an expected increase of upto 3,000 tons during the second year and 3,500 tons for the remaining three years.
However, these additional increases will be subject to the availability of scientific data revealing the good situation of the fishing resources, as well as an equivalent reduction of the number of licenses granted outside the communitarian agreement. Also, the applied fishing methods should reach a satisfactory level.
The new protocol establishes the fishing possibility for 34 tuna Purseseiners, 14 tuna pole fishing vessels and 9 longliners. The final distribution between the State members is still pending, however, the MAPA is confident that the attributed quantities “will cover the requirements of the Spanish boatowners for these watersâ€.
In the previous protocol, 19 Spanish Purseseiners, 7 pole fishing boats and 3 longliners obtained fishing authorization and Spain was appointed the capture of 1,500 tons of seafood and 844 tons of fish and cephalopods.
The European Commission’s counterpart has been set at 19,9 million euros for the five years application of the protocol, about 44% of which will be destined to specific actions, such as scientific programs, fishing monitoring aid, management to the efforts of the zone and development of the Guinean fishing sector. Also, boatowners’ taxes have been increased to meet those established in other countries of the zone.