EC/Kiribati fisheries agreement: Western Pacific tuna fishing

PURPOSE : to conclude the Agreement on fishing within the Kiribati fishing zone. COMMUNITY MEASURE : Council Regulation 874/2003/EC on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Kiribati on fishing within the Kiribati fishing zone. CONTENT : the Council adopted a Regulation on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Kiribati on fishing within the Kiribati fishing zone. This Agreement, which is valid for an initial period of five years and be renewed for further periods of two years, establishes fishing opportunities allocated among some EU Member States. France is being allocated a percentage of available licences for purse seine vessels. Spain and Portugal have a right for six vessels each for long-liners. Licence applications, which would not be filled, can be dispatched among other EU Member States. The Member States concerned must notify information on the catches to the Commission. In return for the fishing opportunities granted by Kiribati, the Community will provide a financial contribution paid to the Kiribati Government, equal to EUR 2.210.000 over five years (EUR 546.000 the first year and EUR 416.000 the following years). The total financial contribution corresponds to a catch within the Kiribati fishing zone of 8 400 tonnes of tuna for the first year and 6 400 tonnes of tuna per year for the following years. The fishing opportunities set out in the Protocol to the Agreement shall be allocated among the Member States as follows: a) purse seine vessels: - France: 27 % of available licences; - Spain: 73 % of available licences, b) long-liners: - Spain: 6 vessels, - Portugal: 6 vessels. The Agreement also states that if licence applications from these Member States do not cover all the fishing opportunities fixed by the Protocol, the Commission may consider licence applications from any other Member State. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 29 May 2003.�