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EU/São Tomé and Príncipe Fisheries Partnership Agreement: fishing opportunities and financial contribution from 23 May 2014 to 22 May 2018. Protocol

2014/0115(NLE)

PURPOSE: to conclude the 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.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2015/239 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe.

BACKGROUND: the Union has negotiated with São Tomé and Príncipe a new Protocol, for a period of four years, granting Union vessels fishing opportunities in the waters over which the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe has sovereignty or jurisdiction in respect of fisheries.

That new Protocol was signed in accordance with Decision 2014/334/EU and will apply on a provisional basis from the date of its signature. The new Protocol should now be approved.

CONTENT: under this Decision, the Council approved, on behalf of the European Union, the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe.

Period of application and fishing opportunities: the fishing opportunities granted to European Union vessels of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement shall be set out, for a period of four years from the date of provisional application, to allow the highly migratory species listed in Annex 1 to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982) to be caught, with the exception of species protected or prohibited by ICCAT.

The fishing opportunities are awarded to:

  • 28 tuna seiners;
  • 6 surface longliners.

Financial contribution: the financial contribution of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement shall be EUR 2 805 000 over four years. It comprises:

  • an annual amount for access to the EEZ of São Tomé and Príncipe of EUR 385 000 for the first three years and EUR 350 000 for the fourth year, equivalent to a reference tonnage of 7 000 tonnes per year;
  • a specific amount of EUR 325 000 per year for four years to support the implementation of the sectoral fisheries policy of São Tomé and Príncipe (support to small scale fishing and monitoring, control and combating of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing).

If the overall annual quantity of catches by European Union vessels in São Toméan waters exceeds the annual reference tonnage, the total amount of the annual financial contribution shall be increased by EUR 55 for the first three years and by EUR 50 for the fourth year for each additional tonne caught.

However, the total annual amount paid by the European Union shall not be more than twice the amount provided for the annual amount as laid down in the Protocol. Where the quantities caught by European Union vessels exceed quantities corresponding to twice the total annual amount, the amount due for the quantity exceeding that limit shall be paid the following year.

The financial contribution may be revised or suspended if one or more of the conditions laid down in this Decision apply.

Responsible fishing: parties shall:

  • agree on the objectives, both annual and multiannual, to be achieved with a view to introducing, over time, responsible and sustainable fishing, particularly with regard to small-scale fishing and the monitoring, control and combating of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing;
  • undertake to: (i) promote responsible fishing in São Toméan waters based on the principle of non-discrimination between the different fleets operating in those waters; (ii) cooperate to monitor the state of fishery resources in the São Toméan fishing zone.

New fishing opportunities: new fishing opportunities are set out in this Decision which are not covered by the present Protocol. In this case, the authorities of São Tomé and Príncipe may call on the European Union to consider the possibility of such fisheries, on the basis of the results of a scientific campaign taking account of best scientific advice endorsed by scientific experts representing both parties. Depending on these results and where appropriate, the parties shall agree on the conditions applicable to these new fishing opportunities and, if necessary, make amendments to this Protocol and to the Annex hereto.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: this Protocol with its Annex shall enter into force on the date on which the parties notify each other of the completion of the procedures necessary for that purpose.

It shall be applied for a duration of four years from the date of its signature but no earlier than 13 May 2014.