WRITTEN QUESTION E-0057/03 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. EU fishing agreements with Morocco following the latter's offer of fishing licences for 64 vessels from Galicia and other parts of Spain.
Date: 2003-01-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Morocco, agreement (EU), fishing agreement, fishing area, fishing permit

10.7.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 161 E/173

The Protocol to the fisheries agreement with Senegal provides fishing possibilities for vessels from Greece,
Spain, France, Italy and Portugal. For coastal demersal fishing, Spain is allocated 46 % of the fishing
possibilities, Greece 16 %, and Italy 38 %. For deepwater demersal fishing Spain is allocated 95 % of the
possibilities and Portugal 5 %. For pole and line vessels, Spain is allocated 62 % of the opportunities and
France 38 %. For the tuna seiners, Spain is allocated 62 % of the possibilities and France 46 %. For surface
longliners, Spain is allocated 87 % of the possibilities and Portugal 13 %.

The Protocol with Angola provides fishing opportunities for vessels from Greece, Spain, France, Ireland,
Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal. Spain is allocated all the licences to fish for shrimps. For demersal
fishing, Spain is allocated 44 % of the possibilities, Portugal 26 %, Italy 18 % and France 12 %. For tuna
fishing, Spain is allocated 70 % of the possibilities, France 18 % and Portugal 12 %. The licences to fish for
pelagic species are allocated only to Ireland and the Netherlands.

It should be noted, however,
opportunities to any other Member State that requests fishing possibilities.

for both the Protocols,

that

the Commission may allocate unused

The annual financial compensation to Angola amounts to EUR 15 500 000, of which 35 % is devoted to
targeted actions to help develop Angola’s own fishing industry. The annual financial compensation to
Senegal amounts to EUR 16 000 000, of which 19 % is aimed at developing a partnership for sustainable
fisheries.

Under the Protocols, the catches of Community vessels are considered to be of Community origin. The
value of the catches, excluding tuna, on the Community market is typically more than double the level of
‘Evaluation of Fishing Agreements Concluded by the
the financial compensation. The 1999 report
European Community’
the fisheries agreement with Senegal
generated 592 direct and 892 indirect jobs within the Member States. The fisheries agreement with Angola
was estimated to have generated 530 direct and 599 indirect jobs within the Member States.

(Ifremer, Cemare, CEP), estimates that

(2003/C 161 E/178)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0057/03

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(22 January 2003)

Subject: EU fishing agreements with Morocco following the latter’s offer of fishing licences for 64 vessels

from Galicia and other parts of Spain

Has the Commission (together with the Spanish Government or the Moroccan authorities) considered the
possibility of laying the foundations for a new and different fishing agreement with Morocco, following the
offer made by that country’s King in respect of fishing licences for 64 vessels from Galicia and other parts
of Spain, as a way of helping to compensate for the damage caused by the Prestige disaster?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(27 February 2003)

The Commission cannot but express its great pleasure at this warmly generous gesture to a sector severely
affected by the Prestige disaster. It further reinforces the deep ties linking the Union, its Member States and
Morocco.

The Commission does not at present have in mind commencement of negotiations with Morocco for
conclusion of an agreement on access to Moroccan waters for fishing.