New EU fisheries agreement with Madagascar

New EU fisheries agreement with Madagascar. EU vessels can resume fishing tuna and tuna-like species in Madagascar’s fishing zone, including Mozambique Channel, following validation in plenary of the agreement. The new agreement says EU vessels can catch up to 14,000 tonnes of tuna and tuna-like species per year, out of which 220 tonnes of shark. The agreement will provide fishing access for 32 tuna seiners, 13 surface long liners above 100 tonnes and 20 surface long liners below 100 tonnes, a total of 65 vessels that traditionally come from Spain, France, Italy and Portugal. The agreement also covers the Mozambique Channel, which is strategically important for the EU fleet. However, EU vessels may not enter a protected area of three nautical miles around anchored fish aggregating devices (FADs) used by Malagasy fishers. In turn, the EU will pay EUR 1,800,000 per year, or EUR 7,200,000 in four years, and EU fishers will add another EUR 5,680,000. Overall, EU authorities and ...