Allocation of fishing opportunities between the EU and Mauritius
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Fisheries Partnership Agreement between EU and Mauritius allocates fishing opportunities to France, Italy, Portugal and Spain
Council Regulation (EU) 2022/2584 of 8 November 2022 on the allocation of fishing opportunities under the Protocol implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius (2022-2026)
Update
The EU and Mauritius have signed a new Protocol to implement the Fisheries Partnership Agreement, allocating fishing opportunities to 85 EU vessels in the Mauritius fishing zone for a period of 4 years.
Impacted Products
tuna
What is changing?
The EU and Mauritius have agreed on provisional application of the Protocol implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement, allocating fishing opportunities among Member States France, Italy, Portugal and Spain for the entire period of its application (2022–2026).
Why?
The Protocol should be implemented as soon as possible in view of the economic importance of EU fishing activities in the Mauritius fishing zone and the need to minimise any interruption. The Protocol applies on a provisional basis from the date of its signature.
Timeline
Date of effect 8 November 2022
What are the major implications for exporting countries?
The EU provides a total financial contribution of €2,900,000, comprising annual fishing access to Mauritius waters at €275,000 (equivalent to a reference tonnage of 5,500 tonnes), another €275,000 per year for support and implementation of Mauritius' sectoral fisheries policy, and €175,000 per year to support the development of its maritime policy and blue economy.
Recommended Actions
The Protocol has been applied on a provisional basis from the date of its signature, taking effect on 8 November 2022, aiming to minimise any interruptions to implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement.
Background
The Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the EU and Mauritius has been in force since January 2014. The second Protocol to the Agreement, setting out fishing opportunities for EU vessels in Mauritius waters and the financial contribution by the EU, expired in December 2021 but was extended to 4 October 2022 by an agreement in the form of an "Exchange of Letters". The current Implementing Protocol for a period of 4 years was adopted by Council Decision 2022/2585 on 8 November 2022 and signed on 21 December 2022, subject to its conclusion at a later date.
The fishing opportunities established under this Protocol will be allocated to 40 purse seiners (22 from Spain, 16 from France, 2 from Italy) and 45 surface longliners (12 from Spain, 29 from France, 4 from Portugal).
Sources
Information on the date of signature and provisional application of the Implementing Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the EU and Mauritius (2022–2026)
Protocol implementing the fisheries partnership agreement between the EU and Mauritius (2022–2026)
Regulation 2022/2584 on the allocation of fishing opportunities under the Protocol implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the EU and Mauritius (2022–2026)