Proposal for a Council Regulation on the conclusion of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Cape Verde on fishing off the coast of Cape Verde for the period from 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2004
Date: 2001-09-06
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Cabo Verde, authorised catch, financial compensation of an agreement, fishing agreement, fishing area, fishing regulations

C 332 E/260

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

27.11.2001

Proposal for a Council Regulation on the conclusion of the Protocol setting out the fishing
opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Agreement between the European
Economic Community and the Republic of Cape Verde on fishing off the coast of Cape Verde for
the period from 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2004

(2001/C 332 E/10)

COM(2001) 470 final (cid:151) 2001/0203(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 6 September 2001)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Article 2

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 37 in conjunction with
Article 300(2) and the first subparagraph of Article 300(3)
thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Whereas:

(1) Under the Agreement between the European Economic
Community and the Republic of Cape Verde on fishing
the two Parties have
off
conducted negotiations to determine the amendments or
additions to be made to the Agreement.

the coast of Cape Verde (1),

(2) As a result of these negotiations, a new Protocol setting out
the
contribution
provided for in the said Agreement for the period from
1 July 2001 to 30 June 2004 was initialled on 7 June 2001.

fishing opportunities

and financial

(3) It

is in the Community’s interest

to approve the said

Protocol.

(4) The method for allocating the fishing opportunities among

the Member States should be defined,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The fishing opportunities set out
allocated among the Member States as follows:

in the Protocol shall be

(cid:151) tuna seiners:

France: 19 vessels

Spain: 18 vessels

(cid:151) pole-and-line tuna vessels:

France: 6 vessels

Spain: 10 vessels

Portugal: 2 vessels

(cid:151) surface longliners:

Spain: 52 vessels

Portugal: 10 vessels

(cid:151) bottom longliners:

Portugal: 630 GRT per month, averaged over the year, with
no more than four vessels fishing simultaneously

the fishing opportunities

If licence applications from these Member States do not cover
the
all
Commission may consider
from any
other Member State.

fixed by the Protocol,

licence applications

The Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial
contribution provided for
in the Agreement between the
European Economic Community and the Republic of Cape
Verde on fishing off the coast of Cape Verde for the period
from 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2004 is hereby approved on
behalf of the Community.

The text of the Protocol is attached to this Regulation.

Article 3

into force on the third day
This Regulation shall enter
following its publication in the Official Journal of the European
Communities.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly
applicable in all Member States.

(1) OJ L 212, 9.8.1990, p. 1.

27.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 332 E/261

setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Agreement
between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Cape Verde on fishing off the
coast of Cape Verde for the period from 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2004

PROTOCOL

Article 1

For a period of three years from 1 July 2001, the fishing
opportunities granted under Article 2 of the Agreement shall
be as follows:

(a) highly migratory species:

freezer tuna seiners: 37 vessels,

pole-and-line tuna vessels: 18 vessels,

surface longliners: 62 vessels,

(b) other species:

bottom longliners: 630 GRT per month, averaged over the
year, with no more than four vessels fishing simultaneously.

Article 2

For the period referred to in Article 1,

1.
the financial
contribution referred to in Article 7 of the Agreement shall
be EUR 680 000 per year, including EUR 400 000 in financial
compensation and EUR 280 000 for the measures referred to
in Article 3 of this Protocol.

For tuna fishing, this financial contribution shall cover a catch
of 7 000 tonnes a year in Cape Verdean waters. If the annual
amount of tuna caught by Community vessels in Cape Verdean
the above-mentioned compen-
waters exceeds this quantity,
sation shall be increased proportionally.

2.
The financial compensation shall be payable no later than
31 January 2002 for the first year and no later than 30 June
2002 and 30 June 2003 for the subsequent years. The use to
which this compensation is put shall be the sole responsibility
of the Cape Verdean authorities.

3.
The financial compensation shall be paid into an account
opened in the name of the Public Treasury with a financial
institution or any other body designated by the Cape Verdean
authorities.

Article 3

The measures set out below shall be financed from the financial
contribution provided for in Article 2(1), up to an amount of
EUR 280 000 per year, broken down as follows:

1. EUR 50 000 for

to
promote better understanding of fisheries resources in the
exclusive economic zone of Cape Verde;

technical programmes

scientific or

2. EUR 20 000 for awards for study and practical training in
technical and economic disciplines

the various scientific,
relating to fisheries;

3. EUR 30 000 towards covering the costs of participation in
concerning

international meetings

training courses or
fisheries;

4. EUR 180 000 towards financing programmes to develop
quality control for fishery products and fisheries monitoring
and surveillance.

The measures and the annual amounts allocated thereto shall
be decided on by the Ministry responsible for fisheries in Cape
Verde, which shall
inform the Commission of the European
Communities thereof.

The annual amounts shall be made available to the bodies
concerned no later than 31 January 2002 for the first year
and no later than 30 June 2002 and 30 June 2003 for the
following years and paid into the bank accounts specified by
the Ministry responsible for fisheries in Cape Verde according
to the schedule for their use.

The Ministry responsible for fisheries shall transmit an annual
report on the implementation of these measures and the results
achieved to the Delegation of the Commission of the European
Communities in Cape Verde, not later than three months after
the anniversary date of the Protocol. The Commission of the
European Communities may request additional information on
these results from the Ministry responsible for fisheries and
may, where appropriate, review the payments concerned in
the
the various
measures, after consulting the Cape Verdean authorities in
the
the Joint Committee provided for
Agreement.

implementation of

in Article 9 of

light of

actual

the

Article 4

Should the Community not make the payments referred to in
Articles 2 and 3, application of
this Protocol may be
suspended.

Article 5

in Cape Verde’s

Should a fundamental change in circumstances prevent
1.
fishing
the
exclusive
European Community may suspend payment of the financial
contribution following prior consultation, if possible, between
the two Parties.

economic

zone,

2.
Payment of the financial contribution shall recommence
once the situation returns to normal and following consultation
between the two Parties confirming that the situation is likely
to allow a return to normal fishing activities.

Article 6

The Annex to the Agreement between the European Economic
Community and the Republic of Cape Verde on fishing off the
coast of Cape Verde is hereby repealed and replaced by the
Annex to this Protocol.

Article 7

This Protocol with its Annex shall enter into force on the date
on which the Parties notify each other of the completion of the
procedures necessary for that purpose.

It shall apply from 1 July 2001.

C 332 E/262

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

27.11.2001

CONDITIONS FOR FISHING BY COMMUNITY VESSELS IN CAPE VERDE’S FISHING ZONE

ANNEX

1. Application for and issue of licences

1.1. The Community authorities shall present to the Ministry responsible for fisheries in Cape Verde, via the
Delegation of the Commission of the European Communities in Cape Verde, an application for each vessel
wishing to fish under the Agreement, at least 15 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 Ministry responsible for fisheries
in Cape Verde, a specimen of which is attached hereto (Appendix 1).

1.2. Licence applications shall be accompanied by proof of payment of the fee for the period of the licence’s
institution or any other body

validity. Payment shall be made into an account opened with a financial
designated by the Cape Verdean authorities.

The fees shall include all national and local charges except for port taxes and service charges.

1.3. Licences for all vessels shall be issued by the Ministry responsible for fisheries in Cape Verde within 15 days
following receipt of proof of payment as laid down in point 2, to the shipowners or their representatives via
the Delegation of the Commission of the European Communities in Cape Verde.

1.4. Licences shall be issued for specific vessels and shall not be transferable. However, at the request of the
Commission of the European Communities, a vessel’s licence may, and, in cases of force majeure, shall be
replaced by a new licence for another vessel of a similar type. The owner of the first vessel shall return the
cancelled licence to the Ministry responsible for fisheries in Cape Verde via the Delegation of the Commission
of the European Communities in Cape Verde.

The new licence shall indicate:

(cid:151) the date of issue,

(cid:151) the fact that it replaces the licence of the previous vessel for the remaining period of validity.

In this case, no fee as laid down in Article 4(2) of the Agreement shall be due for the remaining period of
validity.

1.5. Licences must be kept on board at all times. However, on receipt of notification of payment of the advance
sent to the Cape Verdean authorities by the Commission of the European Communities, the vessel shall be
entered on a list of vessels authorised to fish, which shall be sent to the Cape Verdean authorities responsible
for fisheries inspection. A copy of the said licence may be obtained by fax pending arrival of the licence itself;
that copy shall be kept on board.

1.6. Before the Protocol enters into force, the Ministry responsible for fisheries in Cape Verde shall give notice of
the arrangements for paying the fee, including information on bank accounts and the currencies to be used.

2. Provisions applicable to licences for tuna vessels and surface longliners

2.1. Licences shall be valid for a period of one year. They shall be renewable.

2.2. The fee shall be EUR 25 per tonne caught within Cape Verde’s fishing zone.

2.3. Licences shall be issued after payment to the Ministry responsible for fisheries in Cape Verde of a lump sum of
EUR 2 850 per year for each tuna seiner (of which EUR 100 will go towards financing the observer
programme), EUR 400 per year for each pole-and-line tuna vessel and EUR 2 100 per year for each
surface longliner (of which EUR 100 will go towards financing the observer programme), equivalent to the
fees payable for a catch of:

(cid:151) 110 tonnes of tuna per year in the case of tuna seiners,

(cid:151) 16 tonnes of tuna per year in the case of pole-and-line tuna vessels,

(cid:151) 80 tonnes of fish per year in the case of surface longliners.

27.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 332 E/263

2.4. The captain must keep a fishing log as shown in Appendix 2 for each fishing period spent in Cape Verde’s

fishing zone.

Within a month of the end of each quarter, logs shall be sent via the Delegation of the Commission of the
European Communities for processing to the Institut de Recherche pour le DØveloppement (IRD), the Instituto
Espaæol de Oceanograf(cid:237)a (IEO), the Instituto PortuguŒs de Investiga(cid:231)ªo Mar(cid:237)tima (IPIMAR) and the Instituto
Nacional de Desenvolvimento das Pescas (INDP) of Cape Verde. In the case of the INDP, these data may also be
sent by electronic mail or fax (fax No +238-32 13 70 or +238-32 16 12).

The Member States shall forward the catch data validated by the scientific institutes to the Commission of the
European Communities in accordance with the Community rules. On the basis of this information, the
Commission shall draw up a statement of fees due for the fishing year and send it to the Ministry responsible
for fisheries in Cape Verde.

Shipowners shall be notified by the Commission of the European Communities of this statement by the end of
April at the latest and shall have 30 days in which to meet their financial obligations. If the amount of the final
statement is less than the amount of the lump-sum advance payment, the balance shall not be reimbursable to
the shipowner.

3. Provisions applicable to licences for other vessels

In the case of bottom longliners, licences shall be valid for three, six or twelve months. The annual fee shall be fixed
according to GRT, at the rate of EUR 168 per GRT, in proportion to the duration of the licence.

4. Statement of catch

4.1. For tuna seiners, pole-and-line tuna vessels and surface longliners, a fishing log shall be kept in accordance

with point 2.4.

4.2. Bottom longliners shall be required to notify the Ministry responsible for fisheries in Cape Verde of their
catches using the standard form set out in Appendix 3 via the Delegation of the Commission of the European
Communities in Cape Verde. These catch statements shall be monthly and must be communicated at least once
every three months.

4.3. Forms must be completed legibly and signed by the captains of all vessels with a licence, even where they have

made no catches in Cape Verde’s waters.

4.4. Should these provisions not be adhered to, the Cape Verdean authorities reserve the right to apply, inter alia,

one or both of the following penalties:

(cid:151) suspension of the licence of the offending vessel,

(cid:151) imposition of a fine.

In such cases, the Delegation of the Commission of the European Communities in Cape Verde shall be
informed without delay.

5. Landings

Community tuna vessels shall, wherever possible, contribute towards supplying the Cape Verde tuna canning
factories in accordance with their fishing effort in the zone on the basis of current prices on the international
markets. Payment shall be made in convertible currency.

The Community fleet of surface longliners fishing in Cape Verde’s exclusive economic zone shall land for trans-
shipment at least 5 % of their catches taken in that zone in a Cape Verdean port.

6. Signing on seamen

6.1. Owners of tuna vessels and surface longliners shall employ Cape Verdean nationals, subject to the following

conditions and limits:

(cid:151) for the fleet of tuna seiners, at least six Cape Verdean seamen shall be signed on during the tuna-fishing

season in Cape Verde’s fishing zone,

C 332 E/264

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

27.11.2001

(cid:151) for the fleet of pole-and-line tuna vessels, at least three Cape Verdean seamen shall be signed on during the
tuna-fishing season in Cape Verde’s fishing zone. No vessel shall be required to sign on more than one
seaman,

(cid:151) for the fleet of surface longliners, at least four Cape Verdean seamen shall be signed on during the fishing
season in Cape Verde’s fishing zone. No vessel shall be required to sign on more than one seaman.

6.2. The wages of these seamen shall be fixed before the licences are issued, by mutual agreement between the
shipowners or their representatives and the Cape Verdean authorities;
the wages shall be paid by the
shipowners and must include the seamen’s social security contributions (including life, accident and health
insurance). Shipowners or their representatives shall send a copy of the labour contract to the Ministry
responsible for fisheries in Cape Verde.

6.3. Shipowners shall be required to pay a lump sum equivalent to the wages of any seamen not signed on.

This sum shall be used for training seamen in Cape Verde and shall be paid into the account specified by the
Cape Verdean authorities.

6.4. Shipowners or their representatives shall notify the Ministry responsible for fisheries in Cape Verde of the list
of Cape Verdean seamen signed on by Community vessels during the current fishing season, with details of
their registration as crew members and the vessels concerned.

7. Observers on board

Before issuing licences, the Ministry responsible for fisheries in Cape Verde shall notify shipowners or their
representatives of the vessels on board which they must take an observer.

The time spent on board by observers shall be fixed by the Cape Verdean authorities but, as a rule, it shall not
exceed the time required to carry out their duties. While on board, observers shall:

(cid:151) observe the fishing activities of the vessels,

(cid:151) perform biological sampling in the context of scientific programmes,

(cid:151) note the fishing gear used,

(cid:151) verify the catch data for Cape Verde’s zone recorded in the logbook.

While on board, observers:

(cid:151) shall take all appropriate steps to ensure that the conditions under which they are taken on board and their

presence on board do not interrupt or hamper fishing activities,

(cid:151) must respect the material and equipment on board and the confidentiality of all documents belonging to the

said vessel,

(cid:151) shall draft an activity report, which shall be transmitted to the competent Cape Verdean authorities.

The terms of observers’ embarkation shall be agreed between shipowners or their representatives and the Cape
Verdean authorities.

Observers shall be taken on board at a port chosen by the shipowner at the beginning of the first voyage in Cape
Verdean waters after notification of the list of designated ships.

Within two weeks and giving ten days’ notice, the shipowners concerned shall make known at which Cape Verdean
ports and on what dates they intend to take observers on board.

Where observers are taken on board in a foreign port, their travel costs shall be borne by the shipowner. Should a
vessel with an observer on board leave the Cape Verde fishing zone, all measures must be taken to ensure the
observer’s return to Cape Verde as soon as possible at the shipowner’s expense.

27.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 332 E/265

If the observer is not present at the time and place agreed and during the twelve hours following the time agreed,
shipowners shall be automatically absolved of their obligation to take the observer on board.

The salary and social contributions of the observer shall be borne by the competent Cape Verdean authorities.

8. Fishing zones

Community vessels may carry out fishing activities in the following zones:

(cid:151) beyond 12 nautical miles from the base lines for tuna seiners and surface longliners,

(cid:151) beyond six nautical miles from the base lines for pole-and-line tuna vessels,

(cid:151) beyond six nautical miles from the base lines for bottom longliners,

(cid:151) from the base lines for fishing for live bait.

9. Authorised mesh size

The minimum mesh size authorised for the trawl body (mesh fully extended) shall be:

(cid:151) 16 mm for live bait fishing.

In the case of tuna, the international standards recommended by the International Commission for the Conservation
of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) shall apply.

10. Entering and leaving the zone, radio communications

Within three hours of entering or leaving the zone and every week during their fishing activities in Cape Verde’s
waters, vessels shall be required to communicate their position and the volume of the catch on board direct to the
Cape Verdean authorities preferably by fax or, failing that, by radio in the case of vessels not equipped with fax.

The Cape Verdean authorities shall notify the fax number and radio frequency on issue of the licence.

A copy of the fax messages or of the record of radio communications shall be kept by the Cape Verdean authorities
and the shipowners until both parties have approved the final statement of fees referred to in point 2.

Any vessel caught fishing without having notified the Cape Verdean authorities of its presence shall be considered
an unlicensed vessel.

11. Port facilities and use of supplies and services

Where prices and quality are equal, Community vessels shall give preference to the supplies and services they
require made available in Cape Verde.

12. Boarding and application of penalties

12.1. The Delegation of the Commission of the European Communities in Cape Verde shall be notified within 48
hours of any boarding of or application of penalties to a fishing vessel flying the flag of a Member State of
the Community and operating under this Agreement in Cape Verde’s fishing zone. A brief report of the
circumstances and reasons leading to the boarding or application of penalties shall be submitted within 72
hours.

12.2. A meeting shall be held within 24 hours of receipt of the above-mentioned information between the
Delegation of the Commission of the European Communities in Cape Verde, the Ministry responsible for
fisheries in Cape Verde and the inspection authorities, possibly attended by a representative of the Member
State concerned, at which the parties shall exchange any relevant documentation and information helping to
clarify the circumstances of the established facts. Shipowners or their representatives shall be informed of the
outcome of the meeting and of any measures resulting from the boarding.

Any vessel boarded following a fisheries infringement shall be released upon payment of a security, to be
fixed in the light of the costs occasioned by the boarding and the amount of fines and compensation to which
those responsible for the infringement are liable.

C 332 E/266

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

27.11.2001

Appendix 1

MINISTRY FOR FISHERIES

27.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 332 E/267

2

x
i
d
n
e
p
p
A

C 332 E/268

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

27.11.2001

INFORMATION ON CATCHES RESULTING FROM INDUSTRIAL FISHING

Appendix 3