São Tomé and Principe
São Tomé and Principe
São Tomé and Principe
Fisheries partnership agreement
The fisheries partnership agreement between the EU and São Tomé and Príncipe was concluded in 2007. The current Protocol to the fisheries partnership agreement covers the period 23.5.2014 - 22.5.2018 with a financial contribution of 710 000 € per year during 3 years, and 675 000 € during the 4th year, out of which a specific contribution of 325 000 € is dedicated to the support of the fisheries policy of São Tomé and Príncipe.
This fisheries agreement allows EU vessels mainly from Spain, Portugal and France to fish in the São Tomé and Príncipe waters and is part of the tuna network fisheries agreements in West Africa.
Main features of the FPA
| Duration of the agreement: | 4 years renewable (1.6.2006 – 31.5.2010, tacitly renewed from 01.06.2010 to 31.05.2014) |
| Duration of the protocol: | 4 years as of provisional application (23.5.2014 – 22.5.2018) |
| Provisional application: | Yes |
| Nature of the FPA: | Tuna Fishery Agreement |
| Financial contribution: | 710 000 €/ year for 3 years and 675 000 € the last year of the protocol application, out of which 325 000 € have been earmarked for the support of the São Tomé and Príncipe fisheries policy in order to promote sustainability in its waters. |
| Fee for ship owners: | 55 € (years 1 and 2), 60 € (year 3) 70 € (year 4) per tonne caught. Cut-off date: anniversary of the protocol (23 May) |
| Advances: | - Seiners: 6 930 € (year 1) /6 960 € (years 2 and 3)/7 000 € (year 4) (ref catches: 126/116/100 t respectively). No prorata temporis, the authorisations are granted for a one year period. - Longliners: 2 310 € per year (ref catches: 42 t) |
| Reference tonnage: | 7 000 t./year |
| CURRENT PROTOCOL Fishing possibilities |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPAIN | FRANCE | PORTUGAL | TOTAL | |
| Tuna seiners | 16 | 12 | - | 28 vessels |
| Surface longliners | 4 / 5* | - | 2 / 1* | 6 vessels |
* repartition for the first 2 and last 2 years of application of the protocol, respectively
History
The first fisheries agreement concluded between the EU and São Tomé and Príncipe dates back to 1984.
Current legal framework
- Fisheries Partnership Agreement : Adopted by Council Regulation (EC) No 894/2007 of 23.07.2007 (OJ L 205 of 7.08.2007)
- Council decision 2014/334/EU on the provisional application of the current protocol and text of the protocol
- Council Regulation (EU) No 607/2014 allocating fishing opportunites
- Council decision on the Conclusion of the current protocol (pending adoption)
