EC/Mozambique fisheries agreement: period from 1st January to 31st December 2006

PURPOSE: the conclusion of a Fisheries Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Mozambique. LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation 2329/2003 of the Council concerning the conclusion of a Fisheries Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Mozambique. CONTENT: The purpose behind the Regulation is the conclusion of a fisheries agreement between the Community and Mozambique providing for the following: Where shrimp fishing opportunities are concerned, the Protocol lays down that a maximum of ten vessels will be authorised to fish for a quota of 1.000 tonnes of deep-water shrimp, as well as 535 tonnes of by-catches. The Commission is responsible for monitoring developments in shrimp-fishing vessels' catches in order to ensure that the overall quota is not exceeded. In addition, for the tuna fishery, the Protocol provides for fishing opportunities for 35 freezer tuna seiners and 14 surface longliners, with a reference tonnage of 8 000 tonnes of tuna and related species. The overall financial compensation has been fixed at EUR 4.090.000 a year, including EUR 3.490.000 for deep-water shrimp fishing (including by-catches) and EUR 600.000 for fishing for tuna and related species. The entire financial compensation will be allocated to measures targeted at institutional development, marine surveillance, research, training, quality control and participation by Mozambique in the meetings of the Joint Committee and other international meetings. The annex to the Protocol lays down the technical conditions of the fishing and details regarding fishing licences for Community vessels. Shrimp fishing vessels fishing under the Agreement will be obliged to take on a sufficient number of Mozambican seamen to make up half of their crew. They will be subjected to health inspection procedures in accordance with Mozambique legislation. These vessels' catches will normally be transhipped in a Mozambican port in the presence of the Mozambican authorities, but if a vessel wishes to leave the fishery zone with its catches on board, it may do so following an inspection in one of the ports by the Mozambican authorities. In either case, catches will be the subject of international transit certification. In parallel, the Regulation provides for the allocation of Total Allowable Catches for Community vessels. Spain, Greece, Italy, Portugal will share the shrimp fishing opportunities and France, Spain and Portugal the other opportunities (freezer tuna seiners and surface longliners) in the fishing zones of Mozambique. If the requests for licences do not exhaust the fishing opportunities laid down in the Protocol, the Commission will take requests for licences from other Member States into consideration. ENTRY INTO FORCE: The Agreement and its Protocol enter into force once the necessary procedures to this effect have been fulfilled. The Regulation enters into force on 7 January 2004.�