EU and Liberia enter sustainable fisheries agreement

A third round of negotiations between the EU and the Republic of Liberia concluded with a new Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) as well as an associated five-year Protocol that sets out the fishing opportunities for EU vessels, the financial compensation to be paid by the EU and the support to be offered to West African country’s fishing sector.

The protocol provides the EU with fishing opportunities for 6,500 metric tons (MT) of tuna and other highly migratory species for 28 purse seiners and six longline vessels. In return, the EU will pay Liberia annual compensation of EUR 650,000 (USD 728,106), of which 50 percent is earmarked to support Liberia’s fisheries policy.

According to a statement released by the European Commission (EC), the agreement and the protocol are fully in line with the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and will ensure that the fishing activities of EU vessels in Liberian waters will be carried out in respect of the principles of sustainability, good governance, transparency, non-discrimination and respect of human rights.

Control of fishing activities and catch reporting will be assured through the use of electronic logbooks and vessel monitoring systems (VMS). Both parties have also committed to respect fully all the recommendations made by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

The protocol will also reinforce cooperation between the two parties, especially in their fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

“The new partnership agreement is expected to contribute to Liberia's recovery after the Ebola crisis and is a sign of the EU's confidence in Liberia's economy,” said the EC statement.

Sustainable fisheries agreements with non-EU countries are negotiated and concluded by the Commission on behalf of the EU. There are two main types of agreements: Firstly, tuna agreements that allow EU vessels to pursue migrating tuna stocks as they move along the shores of Africa and through the Indian Ocean; and secondly, mixed agreements that provide access to a wide range of fish stocks in the partner country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

In exchange, the EU pays the partner countries a financial contribution comprising access rights to the EEZ and to promote sustainable fisheries development.

The EU now has 14 active SFPAs protocols with third countries, comprising 11 tuna agreements and three mixed agreements. It also has six "dormant" agreements with Mozambique, Micronesia, Solomon Island, Mauritania, Gambia and Equatorial Guinea, whereby these countries have adopted a fisheries partnership agreement without having a protocol.

EU vessels are not allowed to fish in waters under the regime of dormant agreements.

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