Press Release: New EU/Ivory Coast fisheries partnership agreement

The European Commission, on behalf of the Union, and the Ivory Coast initialled a new fisheries partnership agreement in Abidjan on 5 April 2007. This new agreement, which will cover a renewable 6-year period, will replace the current framework agreement in place since 1990, due to end on 30 June 2007. In line with the philosophy of partnership agreements, the focus will be on providing full support to the Ivory Coast in working towards achieving sustainable fishing in its waters. The new protocol, also agreed for a period of 6 years, will exclusively concern fishing possibilities on tuna. These have been reduced from 9,000 to 7,000 tonnes per year. Licences have been agreed for 25 seiners and 15 surface long liners. The annual financial contribution, which will amount to € 595,000, will be entirely allocated to the establishment of responsible and sustainable fishing in the waters of Ivory Coast.

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