Scientific cooperation underlined in EU/Mauritanian fishing agreement
The EU has signed a €516 million fisheries agreement with Mauritania aimed at providing EU vessels with new fishing opportunities, and promoting sustainable fishing. The agreement underlines the importance of continuing scientific assessment in order to monitor the fish stocks and the ecosystem of the Mauritanian waters. The agreement will replace the current fisheries agreement and will cover a period of six years from 1 August 2006. A protocol, for a period of two years, renewable twice, will allow some 200 EU vessels to fish crustaceans (mainly shrimps), hake and other demersal species (living near the sea floor), cepaholopods, small pelagics (living mid-water) and tuna. The agreement also takes into consideration current scientific monitoring of fish stocks in Mauritanian waters and foresees a scaling back of the fishing of some species by EU vessels, particularly marine mollusks known as cephalopods, which include octopus and squid and demersal species. Fishing for cephalopods will be reduced by 30 per cent while fishing for demersal species will be decreased by about 60 per cent. To ensure the continued monitoring of fisheries resources, the agreement provides for enhanced scientific cooperation between the EU and Mauritania. A joint scientific committee will be established to implement an annual scientific programme aimed at improving knowledge of the stocks and the ecosystem, and the elaboration of an annual scientific report on the state of the resources covered by the agreement. The possibility of undertaking experimental research surveys to determine fishing possibilities and exploitation options while assuring conservation of the resources and the ecosystem are also envisaged. In addition, the agreement has earmarked €10 million per year to support measures such as the improvement of port infrastructures, strengthened control of fishing activities and modernisation of the artisanal fleet. The licence fees to be paid by the owners of vessels operating under this agreement will vary according to the fisheries concerned and could represent an additional €22 million per year. Announcing the agreement, EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg said: 'This agreement, the biggest with an African country, is a major breakthrough. The new partnership approach will be of mutual benefit to the EU and Mauritania in terms of jobs, strengthened monitoring and control, conservation of resources in compliance with scientific assessment and environmental protection.'
Countries
Mauritania