Protocol establishing for the Period 16 June 1989 to 15 June 1991 the fishing rights and financial compensation provided for in the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau on fishing off the coast of Guinea-Bissau
Date: 1995-06-21
Institutions: European Economic Community, Guinea-Bissau
Subjects: Guinea-Bissau, inshore fishing, sea fishing













EUR-Lex - 21989A1230(06) - EN






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21989A1230(06)

Protocol establishing for the Period 16 June 1989 to 15 June 1991 the fishing rights and financial compensation provided for in the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau on fishing off the coast of Guinea-Bissau  


Official Journal L 398 , 30/12/1989 P. 0004 L 125 15/05/1990 P. 0003 





PROTOCOLestablishing for the period 16 June 1989 to 15 June 1991 the fishing rights and  financial compensation provided for in the Agreement between the European Economic Community and  the Government of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau on fishing off the coast of Guinea-Bissau THE PARTIES TO THIS PROTOCOL, Having regard to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of the  Republic of Guinea-Bissau on fishing off the coast of Guinea-Bissau signed in Bissau on 27 February  1980, as last amended by the Agreement signed in Brussels on 29 June 1987, HAS AGREED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1For a period of two years from 16 June 1989, the fishing rights  granted under Article 4 of the Agreement shall be as follows: 1.  (a)  freezer shrimp trawlers: 10 000 GRT a month, annual average; (b)  freezer fin fish and cephalopod trawlers: 5 000 GRT a month, annual average; 2.  freezer tuna seiners: 45 vessels; 3.  pole-and-line tuna vessels: 15 vessels; 4.  surface longliners: 35 vessels. Article 21.  The financial compensation referred to in Article 9 of the Agreement shall be, for  the period referred to in Article 1, ECU 10 830 000, payable in two equal annual instalments. 2.  The use to which this compensation is put shall be the sole responsibility of the Government of  the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. 3.  The compensation shall be paid into an account opened with a financial institution or any other  body designated by Guinea-Bissau. Article 3At the request of the Community, the fishing rights referred to in Article 1 (1) (a) and  (b) may be increased by successive instalments of 1 000 GRT a month, calculated on an annual  average basis. In this case, the financial compensation referred to in Article 2 shall be increased  proportionately. Article 4The Community shall also contribute during the period referred to in Article 1 the sum  of ECU 550 000 towards the financing of a Guinea-Bissau scientific or technical programme to  improve information on the fishery resources within the exclusive economic zone of Guinea-Bissau  and the functioning of the marine biology laboratory. This sum shall be made available to the Government of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau and paid into  the account indicated by the Guinea-Bissau authorities. Article 5The two Parties agree that improving the skills of those involved in sea fishing is a  vital element in the success of their cooperation. To that end, the Community shall make it easier  for nationals of Guinea-Bissau to find places in establishments in its Member States and shall  provide for that purpose, during the period referred to in Article 1, awards for study and  practical training in the various scientific, technical and economic disciplines relating to  fisheries. The awards may also be used in any country linked with the Community by a cooperation  agreement. The total cost of the awards may not exceed ECU 550 000. At the request of the  Guinea-Bissau authorities, part of this sum may be used to cover the costs of participation in  international meetings or training courses concerning fisheries or the organization of seminars on  fishing in Guinea-Bissau, or to strengthen the administrative infrastructure of the Office of the  Secretary of State for Fisheries. The sum shall be payable as and when it is used. Article 6Should the Community fail to make the payments provided for in Articles 2 and 4, the  application of this Protocol may be suspended. Article 7The Annex to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of  the Republicof Guinea-Bissau on fishing off the coast of Guinea-Bissau is hereby repealed and  replaced by the Annex to this Protocol. Article 8This Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the month following that on  which it is signed. It shall be applicable from 16 June 1989. Article 9This Protocol shall be drawn up in duplicate in the Danish, Dutch, English, French,  German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish languages, each text being equally authentic. ANNEX CONDITIONS FOR THE EXERCISE OF FISHING ACTIVITIES BY COMMUNITY VESSELS IN  GUINEA-BISSAU'S FISHING ZONE A. Licence application and issuing formalitiesThe procedure for applications for, and issue of, the  licences enabling Community vessels to fish in Guinea-Bissau's fishing zone shall be as follows: The relevant Community authorities shall present to the Office of the Secretary of State for  Fisheries of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, via the Commission Delegation in Guinea-Bissau, an  application for each vessel that is to be used for fishing under the Agreement, at least 30 days  before the date of commencement of the period of validity requested. The applications shall be made on the forms provided for that purpose by the Government of the  Republic of Guinea-Bissau, specimens of which are attached hereto (Annex 1). Each licence application shall be accompanied by proof of payment of the fee for the period of the  licence's validity. Payment shall be made into the account referred to in Article 2 of the  Protocol. Licences for tuna seiners, pole-and-line tuna vessels and surface longliners shall be issued by the  Guinea-Bissau authorities within the 30-day time limit laid down above to the shipowners or their  representatives via the Delegation of the Commission of the European Communities in Guinea-Bissau. Freezer trawlers must be present in the port of Bissau when the licence is handed over. The  Delegation of the Commission of the European Communities shall be notified of each licence issued. Licences hall be issued for a specific vessel and shall not be transferable. However, at the  request of the European Economic Community, and where force majeure is proven, a vessel's licence  shall be replaced by a new licence for another vessel whose features are similar to those of the  first vessel. The owner of the first vessel shall return the cancelled licence to the Office of the  Secretary of State for Fisheries of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau via the authorities of the  Commission of the European Communities. By way of derogation from Article 4 (3) of the Agreement, licences shall be valid for quarterly,  half-yearly or annual periods. The licence must be held on board at all times. 1.  Provisions applicable to trawlers(a)  For the duration of this Protocol the fees for annual  licences shall be as follows: ECU 100 per GRT per year for fin fish trawlers; ECU 116 per GRT per year for cephalopod trawlers; ECU 160 per GRT per year for shrimp trawlers. (b)  For the duration of this Protocol the fees for half-yearly licences shall be as follows: ECU 57,5 per GRT per half-year for fin fish trawlers; ECU 66,5 per GRT per half-year for cephalopod trawlers; ECU 92 per GRT per half-year for shrimp trawlers. (c)  The fees for quarterly licenses shall be as follows: ECU 30 per GRT per quarter for fin fish trawlers; ECU 35 per GRT per quarter for cephalopod trawlers; ECU 48 per GRT per quarter for shrimp trawlers. However, vessels which land only 25 kg of fish per GRT per quarter, in accordance with the  provisions of Part C of this Annex, shall be obliged to pay an additional fee of ECU 6 per GRT per  quarter. 2.  Provisions applicable to tuna vessels and surface longliners(a)  The fees shall be ECU 20 per  tonne caught within Guinea-Bissau's fishing zone. (b)  Licences shall be issued following payment to the Office of the Secretary of State for  Fisheries of a lump sum of ECU 1 500 a year for each tuna seiner and ECU 300 a year for each  pole-and-line tuna vessel and surface longliner, equivalent to the fees for: - 75 tonnes of tuna caught per year in the case of seiners, - 15 tonnes caught per year in the case of pole-and-line tuna vessels and surface longliners. The final statement of the fees due for the fishing period shall be drawn up by the Commission of  the European Communities at the end of each calendar year on the basis of the catch statements made  by each shipowner and confirmed by the scientific institutes responsible for verifying catch data  (Orstom and IEO - Spanish Institute of Oceanography). The statement shall be forwarded  simultaneously to the Office of the Secretary of State for Fisheries and to the shipowners. Any  additional payment due shall be made by the shipowners to the Office of the Secretary of State for  Fisheries of Guinea-Bissau by 31 May of the following year at the latest, in accordance with the  procedure for payment set out in Article 2 of the Protocol. However, if the amount of the final statement is lower than the abovementioned amount, the  resulting balance shall not be reimbursable. B. Statement of catchFor all Community vessels authorized to fish in Guinea-Bissau's waters under the  Agreement a statement of their catch must be provided to the Office of the Secretary of State for  Fisheries, with a copy to the Commission Delegation in Guinea-Bissau, in accordance with the  procedures set out below: - for trawlers a statement of catch shall be made out according to the specimen annexed hereto  (Annex 2). The statements of catch shall be drawn up each month and presented at least once each  quarter, - for tuna seiners, pole-and-line tuna vessels and surface longliners a fishing log shall be kept,  in accordance with Annex 3, for each fishing period spent in Guinea-Bissau's fishing zone. The form  must be sent, within 45 days of the end of the fishing voyage spent in the Guinea-Bissau fishing  zone, to the Office of the Secretary of State for Fisheries via the Delegation of the Commission of  the European Communities in Guinea-Bissau, - forms must be completed legibly and be signed by the master of the vessel. Should this provision not be adhered to, the Government of Guinea-Bissau reserves the right to  suspend the licence of the offending vessel until the formality has been complied with. C. Landing of catchTrawlers authorized to fish in the Guinea-Bissau fishing zone shall, in order to  make a contribution towards supplying the local population with fish caught in the Guinea-Bissau  fishing zone, be obliged to land the following quantities free of charge, on the basis of the list  set out in the Appendix to Annex 1: 50 kg of fish per GRT per quarter, of which 25 kg per GRT per  quarter is optional. Landings may be made individually or collectively, mention being made of the vessels concerned. Any  failure to comply with the obligation to land catches shall render the offender liable to the  following penalties applied by the Guinea-Bissau authorities: - fine of ECU 1 500 per tonne not landed, and- withdrawal and non-renewal of the licence of the  vessel concerned or another vessel fitted out by the same shipowner. D. By-catches1.  Fin fish trawlers may not hold on board crustaceans representing more than 10 % of  their total catch in the Guinea-Bissau fishing zone. Cephalopod trawlers may not hold on board crustaceans representing more than 5 % or fish  representing more than 10 % of their total catch in the Guinea-Bissau fishing zone. 2.  Pole-and-line tuna vessels shall, moreover, be authorized to fish for live bait in order to  carry out their fishing activities in the Guinea-Bissau fishing zone. E. Signing-on of seamenOwners who have been issued fishing licences under the Agreement shall  contribute to the on-the-job vocational training of Guinea-Bissau nationals, subject to the  conditions and limits set out below: 1.  each trawler owner shall undertake to employ: - two seamen/fishermen on vessels of up to 300 GRT, - three seamen/fishermen on vessels of between 300 GRT and 400 GRT, - four seamen/fishermen on vessels of more than 400 GRT. 2.  Owners of tuna vessels and surface longliners shall undertake to employ Guinea-Bissau  nationals, subject to the conditions and limits set out below: - for the fleet of tuna seiners, eight Guinea-Bissau seamen shall be signed on permanently in the  Guinea-Bissau fishing zone, - for the fleet of pole-and-line tuna vessels, eight Guinea-Bissau seamen shall be signed on for  the tuna fishing season in the Guinea-Bissau fishing zone, all of them to be assigned to different  vessels, - for the fleet of surface longliners, eight Guinea-Bissau seamen shall be signed on for the  fishing season in the Guinea-Bissau fishing zone, all of them to be assigned to different vessels. 3.  The wages of these seamen/fishermen shall be fixed, before licences are issued, by mutual  agreement between the shipowners or their representatives and the Office of the Secretary of State  for Fisheries; the wages shall be borne by the shipowners and must include the social contributions  to which the seaman is subject (including life assurance and accident and sickness insurance). Should the seamen not be signed on, owners of tuna seiners, pole-and-line tuna vessels and surface  longliners shall be obliged to pay a lump sum equivalent to the wages of seamen not signed on. This sum will be used for the training of seamen/fishermen in Guinea-Bissau and is to be paid into  an account specified by the Guinea-Bissau authorities. F. Taking on board of observers1.  The observer's task shall be to check on fishing activities in the  Guinea-Bissau fishing zone. He shall be offered every facility needed to carry out his duties,  including access to premises and documents. He must not remain on board any longer than is  necessary for the accomplishment of his duties. The master of the vessel shall facilitate the work  of the observer, who shall be accorded the conditions enjoyed by officers of the vessel. The salary  and the social contributions of the observer shall be borne by the Government of Guinea-Bissau. Should the observer be taken on board in a foreign port, his travelling costs shall be borne by the  shipowner. Should a vessel with an observer on board leave the Guinea-Bissau fishing zone, all  measures must be taken to ensure the observer's return to Guinea-Bissau as soon as possible at the  expense of the shipowner. 2.  Each trawler shall take on board an observer designated by the Office of the Secretary of State  for Fisheries. 3.  Tuna vessels and surface longliners shall take an observer on board at the request of the  Office of the Secretary of State for Fisheries. In that case, the port of embarkation shall be determined by mutual agreement between the Office of  the Secretary of State for Fisheries and the shipowners or their representatives at a meeting to be  arranged between the two parties. G. Inspection and monitoringAny Community vessel fishing in Guinea-Bissau's fishing zone shall allow  on board any official of Guinea-Bissau responsible for inspection and monitoring and shall assist  him in the accomplishment of his duties. The official must not remain on board any longer than is  necessary for the verification of catches by random checks and for any other inspection relating to  fishing activities. H. Fishing zonesThe freezer trawlers referred to in Article 1 of the Protocol shall be authorized to  fish in waters beyond 12 nautical miles from the base lines. I. Meshes authorizedThe minimum mesh size authorized for the trawl body (mesh fully extended) shall  be: (a)  60 mm for fin fish vessels; (b)  40 mm for cephalopod vessels; (c)  40 mm for shrimp vessels (this mesh shall be applicable from 1 August 1989); (d)  16 mm for fishing for live bait. Outrigger fishing shall be authorized. J. Entering and leaving the zoneAll Community vessels fishing under the Agreement in the  Guinea-Bissau zone shall communicate to the radio station of the Office of the Secretary of State  for Fisheries the date and time and their position when entering and leaving the Guinea-Bissau  fishing zone. The call sign, frequency and working hours of the station shall be communicated to the shipowners  by the Office of the Secretary of State for Fisheries at the time the licence is issued. In cases where this radio communication cannot be used, vessels may use alternative means, such as  telex (No 266 SEP BI) or telegram. K. Procedure in case of boardingThe authorities of the Commission of the European Communities in  Guinea-Bissau shall be notified within 48 hours of any boarding within the Guinea-Bissau fishing  zone of a fishing vessel flying the flag of a Member State of the Community and shall at the same  time receive a brief report of the circumstances and reasons leading to the boarding. Should the case be brought before a competent judicial body, the Guinea-Bissau authorities may fix  a bank security at the request of the Community or the shipowner. In that case, the Guinea-Bissau authorities shall undertake to release the vessel within 24 hours  following the lodging of the bank security. The bank security shall be released by the competent authority once the master of the vessel  concerned has been acquitted by the judicial decision. Should one of the parties consider it necessary, it may request urgent consultations under Article  10 of the Agreement. Annex 1 >TABLE>Technical remarksAuthorization of the Office of the Secretary of  State>TABLE>1630. 12. 89Official Journal of the European CommunitiesAnnex 2> TABLE POSITION>Annex 3