On 28 October, the EU and Madagascar agreed on the text of a new sustainable fisheries partnership agreement (SFPA), together with its implementing protocol. This new agreement restores the partnership between the EU and Madagascar that had been interrupted in 2018, and will contribute to good fisheries governance.
An agreement for tuna fisheries
The agreement will allow 65 tuna fishing vessels from EU Member States to access Madagascar waters over a period of 4 years.
In exchange, the EU will:
- Provide Madagascar with €700,000 per year to access Madagascar water, based on a reference esteem of catches of 14,000 tons of tuna; and
- Dedicate €1,1 million for sectoral support, to accompany the sustainable development of the fisheries sector and the blue economy in Madagascar.
The total EU contribution will be €1,8 million per year.
The new protocol also foresees a new contribution for the protection of ecosystems (paid by fishing vessels owners) and new provisions to encourage cooperation with Madagascar in the context of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC).
Background
Sustainable fisheries partnership agreements (SFPA) with non-EU countries are negotiated and concluded by the Commission on behalf of the EU. They enable EU vessels to fish for surplus stocks in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of third countries. They also focus on resource conservation and environmental sustainability.
More information: Sustainable fisheries
partnership agreements (SFPAs) (europa.eu)