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

OBJECTIVE: to conclude a new fisheries protocol between the Community and the Republic of Comoros for the period 28 February 1998 to 27 February 2001. COMMUNITY MEASURE: Council Regulation (EC) 2127/98 relating to the conclusion of the protocol setting out, for the period 28 February 1998 to 27 February 2001, the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the agreement between the European Economic Community and the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros on fishing off the Comoros. SUBSTANCE: The new protocol provides for licences for 44 freezer tuna seiners and 16 surface long-liners to fish in Comorian waters. The fishing opportunities are allocated among four Member States: Spain (35 vessels), Italy (1 vessel), France (21 vessels) and Portugal (3 vessels). If licence applications from these Member States do not cover all the fishing opportunities fixed by the protocol, the Commission may take into consideration licence applications from any other Member State. As compensation for the fishing opportunities provided in the protocol, the Comoros Republic will be granted total financial compensation of ECU 180 000 per year for a weight of catches equivalent to 4 500 tonnes of tuna per year. Beyond this weight, the amount of compensation will be increased by ECU 50 for each additional tonne. In addition to this financial compensation, the Community will grant ECU 540 000 for the duration of the protocol towards financing scientific and technical programmes to develop fisheries and other initiatives in the fisheries sector such as study grants and practical training for Comorian fishermen, fisheries surveillance programmes, etc. The annex to the protocol contains details of the conditions under which Community vessels may fish, including the arrangements for obtaining licences, making catch declarations and calculating the amounts payable by shipowners and other provisions relating to taking Comorian observers on board, fisheries monitoring, notifying vessels' entry into and departure from authorised fishing zones, fishing zones and rare and protected species. ENTRY INTO FORCE: the regulation enters into force on 9.10.1998, the protocol will enter into force when the parties have notified each other of all the required procedures. �