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Mozambique
Mozambique and EU sign fishing deal
afrol News, 25 October - Mozambique and the European Union (EU) have agreed on a deal allowing EU vessels to catch tuna and deep-water shrimps in Mozambican territorial waters over the next three years. A total of 59 EU vessels are to participate in the fishing and Mozambique is to receive a euro 4 million payment each year.
A fisheries agreement between the EU and Mozambique is a novelty, although the Southern African country becomes the fifteenth on the continent to enter into such a deal with the EU. The Europeans, having depleted most of their own fisheries, currently are moving further and further away from home to assure fishing rights for their over-numbered fleet.
Meeting the rising critiques by environmental organisations to their fishery expansion, the EU however has included various conditions "ensuring sustainable fishing" in their Mozambican agreement.
As such, the annual financial compensation of euro 4,090,000 was be allocated to develop Mozambique's institutional capacity in fisheries management; strengthen surveillance and control of fishing activities; scientific research; training and; quality control of fisheries products, according to a EU statement released yesterday.
Experiences from other African countries selling fishery rights to the EU had shown substantial overfishing by EU vessels that had a damaging effect on the environment and on the resource basis for local fishermen, depending on coastal resources for their livelihood.
Ellen Boors of Greenpeace told the BBC that she did not believe the EU-Mozambican agreement was any better and that the EU could not be sure how the money would be spent. "The European Union does not have a say about how the money ends up being used in Mozambique, as is the case also with other countries with whom the EU has an agreement," Ms Boors said.
The EU however claims it has given high priority to sustainable fishing and to the development of Mozambique's own fisheries. Catch reporting were to be "closely monitored" to ensure that "the total allowable catches set in this fishery are respected." Shrimp vessel owners would further have to "ensure that half their crews are made up of local fishermen."
The deal will provide fishing opportunities for tuna for 49 EU vessels. There is no limit on the tuna catch. Further, up to 10 EU vessels will be allowed to fish for deep-water shrimp up to a maximum quantity of 1,000 tonnes per year. Vessels which will operate under this deal were to come from Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Greece.
The deal is however not expected to go into effect before 2004, as it first needs to be adopted by the Council of the EU. This is expected to happen sometimes next year, and on the following 1 January, the agreement "will become applicable." Tuna, shrimps and environmentalists therefore can put trust in the effectiveness of EU bureaucracy for at least one more year.
Sources: Based on EU, press reports and
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