EU/São Tomé and Príncipe Fisheries Partnership Agreement: fishing opportunities and financial contribution from 13 May 2011 to 12 May 2014. Protocol
PURPOSE: to conclude a new Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and São Tomé and Príncipe.
NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2011/420/EU on the conclusion of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe.
BACKGROUND: the EU negotiated a new Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and the financial contribution provided for by the Fisheries Partnership Agreement with São Tomé and Príncipe, providing Union vessels with fishing opportunities in the waters over which São Tomé and Príncipe has sovereignty or jurisdiction in respect of fisheries.
As a result of those negotiations, the new Protocol was initialled on 15 July 2010.
In accordance with Council Decision 2011/296/EU, the Protocol was signed and has been applied provisionally.
It is now necessary to conclude the Protocol on behalf of the Union.
CONTENT: under this Decision, the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and the financial contribution provided for by the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe is hereby approved on behalf of the Union.
The main provisions of the Protocol may be summarised as follows:
Financial contribution: the overall financial contribution under the Protocol of EUR 2 047 500 over the whole period is based on:
(a) an annual reference tonnage set at 7 000 tonnes for 40 vessels, corresponding to EUR 455 000 per year, and
(b) support for the development of the sectoral fisheries policy of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, amounting to EUR 227 500 per year. This support meets the objectives of the national fisheries policy.
If the overall quantity of catches by European Union vessels in São Toméan waters exceeds 7 000 tonnes per year, the total amount of the annual financial contribution shall be increased by EUR 65 for each additional tonne caught. However, the total annual amount paid by the European Union shall not be more than twice the amount indicated in the protocol (EUR 910 000).
Fishing authorisation: fishing authorisations shall be valid for a period of one year. The fee for tuna seiners and surface longliners shall be set at EUR 35 per tonne caught within São Tomé and Príncipe’s fishing zone.
Fishing opportunities: 28 tuna seiners and 12 surface longliners will be authorised to fish, with an annual reference tonnage of 7 000 tonnes. The fishing opportunities granted to European Union vessels under Article 5 of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement shall be as follows: Highly migratory species (species listed in Annex 1 to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea).The fishing opportunities may be adjusted by mutual agreement insofar as the recommendations and resolutions adopted by ICCAT confirm that this adjustment guarantees the sustainable management of the fishery resources covered by this Protocol.
Duration of the Agreement: this Protocol shall apply for a period of three years.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: the Decision shall enter into force on 28 July 2011. The date of entry into force of the Protocol will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.