EC/Guinea-Bissau Fisheries Partnership Agreement. Implementing Protocol (2024-2029)

The European Parliament adopted by 518 votes to 104, with 61 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2024–2029).

Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

The current Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2024-2029) was applied provisionally from the date of signature, i.e. 18 September 2024. This fisheries agreement allows vessels from a number of EU Member States to fish in Guinea-Bissau waters.

The Protocol provides for fishing opportunities in the following categories: freezer shrimp trawlers; freezer fin-fish and cephalopod trawlers; small pelagic trawlers; tuna freezer vessels and longliners; pole-and-line tuna vessels. The Agreement is multi-species and covers tuna, cephalopods, shrimps and demersal species.

The Agreement is part of a network of tuna agreements in West Africa and is one of only three multi-species agreements in the region (the others being with Morocco and with Mauritania).

The fishing opportunities provided for in the Agreement are based on the best scientific advice available and on the recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

The EU contribution to this new protocol is estimated at EUR 85 million over the 5 years, consisting of EUR 17 million per year, of which EUR 4.5 million will be dedicated to promoting Guinea-Bissau’s sustainable fisheries management, control and surveillance capacities, and supporting local fishing communities.

In addition to the EU contribution, shipowners will pay licence and capture fees to the Guinea-Bissau administration to be authorised to fish. The combination of the EU’s contribution and fees paid by EU operators puts the total estimated financial envelope beyond EUR 100 million over the 5 year period.