On 24 July 2006, it was announced that a fisheries agreement had been reached between Mauritania and the European Union. The agreement, entering into force on 1 August 2006, will have duration of six years. In exchange, the EU will grant financial compensation of 86 million euros per year. An additional amount will be coming from ship owners’ contributions and is estimated at 22 million euros, in the event that all fishing possibilities are utilised.
This document discusses a series of issues aimed at determining what impacts the agreement will have on sustainable fisheries development in Mauritania. It includes a comparison between the outcome of the Mauritania-EU partnership negotiations and the expectations set out by Mauritania’s small-scale fishermen, recognised by all parties as key players in the development of sustainable fisheries in Mauritania.