Parliament adopted the renewed protocol to the existing EU fisheries partnership agreement with Gabon.
The European Parliament gave a green light to a five-year long protocol (2021-2026) of EU-Gabon sustainable fisheries partnership agreement by 478 votes in favour, 148 against and 71 abstention on Tuesday. The renewed partnership ensures fishing opportunities in Gabonese waters for 27 European tuna seiners, 6 pole-and-line tuna vessels and 4 trawlers targeting demersal fish and crustaceans in an exploratory fishery (for 32 000 tonnes of total catches per year). In return EU would provide financial and technical support (€2.6 million per year) to foster a sustainable fisheries policy in Gabon. Furthermore, the protocol, which was scrutinised by EP rapporteur Izaskun Bilbao Barandica (Renew, ES), gives better incentives to fight against illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing and enhance cooperation on sound exploitation of fisheries resources, including through vessels monitoring and the electronic transmission of catch data.
The EU-Gabon fisheries agreement entered into force in 2007 for a period of six years. It was tacitly renewed and is still in force. In February 2021, the European Union and Gabon established a new protocol to their Fisheries Agreement, after current expired in 2016.
