CFFA share its view on the EU-Mauritania fisheries agreement protocol, prior to the hearing organised on January 21st in the European Parliament on this issue, in a note attached to this article.

Together with Mauritanian partners from the civil society and fishing communities, CFFA is mainly concerned about the environmental sustainability, the support to local fishing communities and the governance aspects of the FPA protocol proposed.

Based on the analysis of the protocol by partners during a round table discussion held in Nouakchott last October, CFFA feels the protocol that has been negotiated should be supported by the Parliament, as it largely answers many of those concerns:

The principle of access to surplus is respected, particularly for the octopus, which is a strategic resource for Mauritanian artisanal fishermen;
the new zoning, pushing the trawlers away from the coast, will better protect ecosystems and local fishing activities;
the obligation to land the catches locally will give a boost to onshore activities, and related job creation
the new basis for calculation of access will ensure there is a better idea about what is caught
the possibilities for opening up the attendance of the Joint committee to stakeholders representatives will help improve transparency and participation

Some EU vessels have started fishing under the new proposed protocol, but most European fleets involved in Mauritania do not agree with the technical conditions and/or the financial conditions provided by the protocol, and are proposing to reject the agreeement, a position that is followed by the EP rapporteur in its proposed report http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetd...

CFFA feels there is sufficient scope in the terms of the protocol, – in particular provisions for the Joint Committee and its mandate-, to accomodate EU sector’s concerns, provided those concerns are in line with sustainable fisheries, local development needs and good governance.

The representative of the Mauritanian artisanal fishermen, Mr Sid’ahmed Abeid, will give his views at the hearing next Monday. The debate can be followed live, between 3 PM and 5 PM, on http://www.europarl.europa.eu/commi... (click on ‘Today’s broadcasts’)

See CFFA’s note in joint document