Follow us on:

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube

Domestic

Negotiations start for new Seychelles-EU sustainable fisheries partnership accord |20 August 2019

Negotiations start for new Seychelles-EU sustainable fisheries partnership accord

The first round of talks between the EU and Seychelles delegations yesterday

Delegations from the European Union (EU) and Seychelles yesterday started the first round of negotiations for a new Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement and Protocol.

The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) is the bilateral framework to be agreed by both Parties that will allow EU fishing vessels to carry out their fishing operations in Seychelles EEZ, establishing the principles, rule and procedures governing the economic, financial, technical, and scientific aspect of this cooperation, including conditions for EU fishing vessels gaining access to Seychelles EEZ, and the management, control and surveillance measures governing their activities.

The Protocol sets out the fishing opportunities in terms of the number of fishing vessels, reference tonnage and annual fees to be paid by the EU, employment conditions of Seychellois seamen embarked on those vessels, and the terms and conditions the vessels have to comply with.

The Protocol also lays down the administrative rules and procedures for the implementation of the Agreement. It includes financial support to the sustainable development of fisheries.

The Seychelles delegation is being led by Charles Bastienne, Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture while the EU delegation is being headed by Emmanuel Berck, deputy Head for Trade Negotiations and Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements, of the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE).

Valued at €30.7 million, the current six-year Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA) will end on November 1, 2019, while its corresponding Protocol will terminate on January 17, 2020.

Seychelles have had fishing agreements with the EU, back then the European Community, since the late nineteen eighties.

The negotiations for a new Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement and Protocol will take place until tomorrow, August 21, 2019.

More news