MEPs gave their consent on Wednesday to the updated fisheries agreement with Guinea Bissau, granting 41 EU vessels access to the country’s waters for the next five years.
Under the new protocol, a total of 28 freezer tuna seiners and surface longliners and 13 pole-and-line tuna vessels, from Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Portugal, are allowed to fish in Guinea-Bissau’s waters. Altogether, European fishers are authorised to catch up to 3,500 gross registered tonnage (GRT) of cephalopods and 3,700 GRT of shrimp annually until 2029. Small pelagic species are off limits owing to the state of the stocks and low uptake.
In exchange, the EU will provide €85 million in funding over the five years. This consists of €17 million per year, with €4.5 million set aside annually to promote Guinea-Bissau’s sustainable fisheries management and to support local fishing communities. This is an increase of €1.4 million per year, compared with the previous agreement.
In addition to the EU’s contribution, ship-owners will pay licence and capture fees to the country’s administration. The global EU contribution to Guinea-Bissau will therefore surpass €100 million for the five-year period.
Provisionally applied since 18 September 2024, the new protocol was approved in plenary by 518 votes in favour, 104 against and 61 abstentions.
With 605 votes in favour, 68 against and 10 abstentions, MEPs also approved a set of recommendations for the Commission and Guinea-Bissau’s authorities to consider during future negotiations and when applying the current protocol.
Parliament wants to ensure that the deal really does support the development of local fisheries. Guinea-Bissau’s infrastructure must be improved to secure market access for local fish. Cooperation is meanwhile needed to enable Guinea-Bissau to export its fishery products.
MEPs are concerned that “Guinea-Bissau is fast emerging as a flag-of-convenience country”. They note that the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU fishing) is being held back by a lack of transparency regarding vessel ownership. Parliamentarians therefore call on the EU to mobilise technical and financial assistance to strengthen, monitor, and control fishing activities, prevent IUU fishing and combat reflagging strategies.
Rapporteur Eric Sargiacomo (S&D, FR) said: “the Commission should improve monitoring and ensure that sectoral cooperation is geared more towards local food security needs, social conditions on board vessels, and recognition of the participation of women in coastal communities”.
Background
In terms of the funds involved, the agreement with Guinea-Bissau is the EU’s second most important fisheries partnership deal with a third country , second only to the agreement with Mauritania.
Although fishing represents 15% of Guinea-Bissau’s government revenue, the country cannot export seafood to the EU because it does not meet EU health and sanitary requirements. It is estimated that only 3% of catches made by foreign vessels in Guinea Bissau’s fishing zone are landed in the country.