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
Date: 1998-10-21
Institutions: Comoros, European Community
Subjects: Comoros, agreement (EU), deep-sea fishing, financial compensation of an agreement, fishing agreement, fishing regulations

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Official Journal of the European Communities

5. 8. 98

PROTOCOL

setting out, for the period 28 February 1998 to 27 February 2001, the fishing opportun-
ities 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

Article 1

Pursuant to Article 2 of the Agreement, licences author-
ising simultaneous fishing in Comorian waters shall be
granted to 44 freezer tuna seiners and 16 surface long-
liners for a period of three years beginning on 28 Febru-
ary 1998.

Article 2

1.
The financial compensation referred to in Article 6
of the Agreement shall be fixed at ECU 180 000 per year,
to be paid not later than 1 September each year.

2.
This financial compensation shall cover catches of
4 500 tonnes per year in Comorian waters. If the volume
of tuna caught by Community vessels in Comorian waters
exceeds this volume, the amount of the financial com-
pensation shall be increased by ECU 50 per additional
tonne.

3.
The financial compensation shall be paid into an
account to be indicated by the Government of the Islamic
Federal Republic of the Comoros, in the name of the
Public Treasury.

4.
The use to which the compensation is to be put
shall fall within the exclusive competence of the Govern-
ment of the Comoros.

Article 3

the period covered by

During
the
Community shall contribute an additional ECU 540 000
to financing the measures described below, allocated as
follows:

the Protocol,

4.

5.

6.

training
the financing of
courses or seminars in the various scientific, technical
and economic fields linked to fishing: ECU 60 000,

study grants, practical

the Comoros’ contribution to the international fish-
eries organisations: ECU 70 000,

the expenses of Comorian delegates participating in
international meetings concerning fisheries: ECU
40 000.

The measures will be adopted by the Ministry responsible
for fisheries, which will inform the Commission of the
European Communities thereof.

The amounts allocated shall be made available to the
the
Government of
Comoros and paid into the bank accounts indicated by it,
except the amounts referred to in points 4 and 6 of the
first paragraph, which shall be paid as they are used.

the Islamic Federal Republic of

the European Communities

The Ministry responsible for fisheries shall transmit an
annual report on the implementation of these measures
the
and the results achieved to the Delegation of
Commission of
in the
Comoros, not later than three months after the anni-
the
versary date of
European Communities reserves the right to request addi-
tional information on these results from the Ministry re-
sponsible for
fisheries and to review the payments
concerned in the light of the actual implementation of
the measures.

the Protocol. The Commission of

Article 4

to make the payments
Should the Community fail
provided for in Articles 2 and 3, the Fisheries Agreement
may be suspended.

Article 5

1.

2.

3.

the financing of scientific and technical programmes
(equipment, infrastructure, improved fisheries-related
administrative and training structures, etc.) to increase
knowledge of
in Comorian
the fishery resources
waters: ECU 250 000,

support
surveillance: ECU 70 000,

for the structures responsible for fisheries

institutional support to the Ministry responsible for
fisheries: ECU 50 000,

The Protocol to the Agreement between the European
Economic Community and the Islamic Federal Republic
of the Comoros on fishing off the Comoros is hereby
repealed and replaced by this Protocol.

Article 6

This Protocol shall enter into force on the date of its
signing.

It shall apply from 28 February 1998.

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ANNEX

CONDITIONS FOR THE PURSUIT OF FISHING ACTIVITIES BY COMMUNITY VESSELS IN
COMORIAN WATERS

1.

Application for and issue of licences

1.1.

1.2.

1.3.

1.4.

1.5.

1.6.

1.7.

1.8.

The procedure for application for, and issue of, the licences allowing Community vessels to fish in
Comorian waters shall be as follows.

The Commission of the European Communities, through its representative in the Comoros, shall
submit to the Comorian Ministry responsible for fisheries, at least 20 days before the date of
commencement of the period of validity requested, an application in respect of each vessel wishing to
fish under this Agreement, drawn up by the owner. The applications shall be made on the forms
provided for that purpose by the Comoros, a specimen of which is attached in Appendix 1.

Licences shall be issued to shipowners for a specific vessel. At the request of the Commission of the
European Communities, a licence issued for one vessel may, and in cases of force majeure shall, be
replaced by a licence issued for another Community vessel.

Licences shall be issued by the Ministry responsible for fisheries to the Commission’s representative
in the Comoros.

Licences must be held on board at all times; however, fishing shall be authorised as soon as the
Comorian Ministry responsible for fisheries has received notification from the Commission of the
European Communities that the advance payment has been made. Pending receipt of the original of
the licence, a copy of the licence that has been drawn up may be issued by fax to be held on board
the vessel.

Licences shall be valid for one year. They shall be renewable.

The licence fee shall be set at ECU 20/tonne of tuna caught in Comorian waters.

Licences shall be issued following advance payment to the Comoros of a lump sum of ECU 1 750 a
year for each tuna seiner and ECU 750 a year for each surface longliner.

Before the entry into force of the Agreement the Comorian authorities shall communicate the
arrangements for payment of the licence fees, in particular the details of the bank account and the
currency to be used.

2.

Statement of catch and statement of fees due from shipowners

The captain shall complete a fishing form corresponding to the specimen in Appendix 2 for each
period spent fishing in the Comorian fishing zone. The form may be replaced during the period of
application of the Protocol by another document devised for the same purpose by an international
organisation responsible for tuna-fishing in the Indian Ocean.

The form, which must be legible and signed by the captain of the ship, shall be sent to the Office of
Overseas Scientific and Technical Research and the Spanish Oceanographic Institute for processing
within one month of the end of each calendar quarter.

If these provisions are not complied with, the Comorian Ministry responsible for fisheries reserves the
right to suspend the licence of the offending vessel until these formalities have been carried out and
to apply the penalties provided for under national law.

Member States shall inform the Commission of the European Communities before 15 April of the
tonnages caught during the past year, as confirmed by the scientific institutes. On the basis of those
figures the Commission shall establish a breakdown of the fees due in respect of a fishing year, which
it shall then send to the Comorian Ministry responsible for fisheries for its comments.

Shipowners shall be notified of this breakdown by the Commission of the European Communities by
the end of April at the latest and shall have 30 days in which to meet their financial obligations.
Shipowners cannot recover the balance in cases where the amount payable in respect of actual fishing
operations is less than the advance payment.

3.

Inspection and monitoring

Community vessels fishing in the Comorian fishing zone shall permit and facilitate the boarding and
fulfilment of the tasks of Comorian officials responsible for the inspection and monitoring of fishing
activities. These officials should not remain on board any longer than the time required to verify
catches by sampling and carrying out any other inspections relating to fishing activities.

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4.

Observers

At the request of the Comorian Ministry responsible for fisheries, tuna vessels shall take on board an
observer designated by the former to check catches made in Comorian waters. Observers shall have
all the facilities needed for the performance of their duties, including access to parts of the ship and
documents. Observers shall not remain on board for longer than the time required to carry out their
duties. Observers shall be provided with suitable food and accommodation while on board. Should a
tuna vessel with a Comorian observer on board leave Comorian waters, every step shall be taken to
ensure that the observer returns to the Comoros as soon as possible, at the shipowner’s expense.

5.

Communication of information

Fishing vessels shall communicate the date and time direct to the Comorian Ministry responsible for
fisheries immediately on entering or leaving the Comorian fishing zone and their position and
catches held on board within three hours of entering or leaving the zone and every three days while
engaged in fishing activities in Comorian waters. This information should preferably be commun-
icated by fax or, for vessels not equipped with a fax, by radio.

The Comorian Ministry responsible for fisheries shall inform vessels of the relevant fax number and
radio frequency when the fishing licence is issued.

The Comorian Ministry responsible for fisheries and the shipowners shall keep a copy of fax com-
munications or a recording of radio communications until both parties have agreed to the final state-
ment of fees due referred to in point 2.

A vessel found to be fishing without having informed the Comorian Ministry responsible for fisheries
shall be regarded as a vessel without a licence.

6.

Fishing zones

To avoid adverse effects on small-scale fisheries in Comorian waters, Community tuna vessels shall
not be allowed to fish within 10 nautical miles of any of the islands nor within a radius of three
nautical miles of fish aggregating devices placed by the Comorian Ministry responsible for fisheries,
the positions of which have been communicated to the representative of the Commission of the
European Communities in the Comoros.

These provisions may be reviewed by the Joint Committee referred to in Article 7 of the Agreement.

7.

Ownership of rare species

Any coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae) caught by a Community vessel authorised to fish in
Comorian waters under the Agreement remains the property of the Comoros and must be turned
over, without charge, to the port authorities of Moroni or Mutsamudu immediately in the best state
possible.

8.

Transhipment

Community vessel owners must give consideration to the existence of the harbour facilities of Mutsa-
mudu for any transhipment operations.

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Appendix 1

LICENCE APPLICATION FORM FOR A FOREIGN FISHING VESSEL

Name of applicant: ..................................................................................................................................................

Address of applicant: ...............................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................................

Name and address of charterer of vessel if different from above: ...................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................................

Name and address of representative (agent) in Comoros: ..................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................................

Name of vessel: ........................................................................................................................................................

Type of vessel: ..........................................................................................................................................................

Country of registry: ..................................................................................................................................................

Port and registration number: ................................................................................................................................

Vessel’s external identification: ...............................................................................................................................

Radio call sign and frequency: ..............................................................................................................................

Length of vessel: ......................................................................................................................................................

Width of vessel: .......................................................................................................................................................

Engine type and horsepower: .................................................................................................................................

Gross registered tonnage of vessel: ........................................................................................................................

Net registered tonnage of vessel: ...........................................................................................................................

Minimum crew: ........................................................................................................................................................

Type of fishing: ........................................................................................................................................................

Proposed catch species: ...........................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................................

Period of validity requested: ...................................................................................................................................

I, the undersigned ...................................................................., certify that the above particulars are correct.

Date: .......................................................................

Signature: .......................................................................

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Appendix 2