EC/Comoros fisheries agreement: protocol for the period from 28 February 1998 to 27 February 2001

OBJECTIVE: conclusion of a new fisheries protocol between the Community and the Republic of the Comoros setting the fishing opportunities for Community vessels in the waters of this country and the financial compensation for the period from 28 February 1998 to 27 February 2001. SUBSTANCE: the new protocol, initialled by both parties on 27 February 1998, provides for licences for 44 freezer tuna seiners and 16 surface longliners in Comorian waters. The allocation set out in the proposal for a regulation distributes these fishing opportunities between four Member States: Spain, Italy, France and Portugal. If licence applications by these states do not cover all the fishing opportunities provided, the Commission may take into consideration licence applications from any other Member State. In compensation for the fishing opportunities provided under this Protocol, the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros will receive total financial compensation of ECU 180 000 per year for a catch of 4 500 tonnes per year in Comorian waters of tuna. In excess of this volume, the amount of compensation will be increased by ECU 50 per additional tonne. In addition to this financial compensation the Community will contribute a total of ECU 540 000 for the duration of the protocol for financing scientific and technical programmes for fisheries development and other initiatives in the fisheries sector such as study grants and practical advanced training for Comorian fishermen, fisheries surveillance programmes, etc. The annex to the Protocol includes details of the conditions for the pursuit of fishing activities by Community vessels. Details given relate to the arrangements for the issue of fishing licences, formalities concerning statements of catch and fees due from shipowners and other provisions on taking on board Comorian observers, monitoring of fishing activities, communication of vessels entering or leaving authorized fishing zones and rare and protected species. �