The European Union has forged a new agreement with the Ivory Coast, allowing European fishing vessels to catch tuna and other migratory species in Ivory Coast waters, according to a release from the EU.
The EU agreed to pay EUR 680,000 (USD 907,372) in exchange for the fishing rights, and European vessel owners will pay increased advanced payments to fish off the Ivory Coast.
The new agreement, according to the EU, will be of particular interest to France and Spain. According to the EU, the agreement is important to reinforce cooperation with the Ivory Coast and fight illegal fishing. Control of fishing, the EU said, will improve with the use of vessel monitoring systems and electronic logbooks.
The Protocol will be valid for 5 years and will replace the current one, which expires on 30 June 2013.
