CFFA supports CAOPA and APRAPAM's request for a concerted approach on the management of shared stocks such as small pelagics and hake
Read moreFor Mauritanian CSO, Joint scientific committee confirmed FPA protocol orientations
Acknowledging the results of the EU-Mauritania Fisheries Partnership Agreement Joint Scientific Committee meeting, held beginning of April, Mauritanian civil society organisations, as well as organisations supporting them,- including CFFA-, issued a joint communication in which they emphasize these results confirm that the changes introduced in the provisionnally adopted FPA protocol are in support of sustainable fisheries, in particular with regard to the octopus, small pelagics and coastal shrimps resources.
Protocol to the EU-Mauritania FPA: CFFA requests that the Parliament supports the text
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
Guinea, Togo, Fiji and more risk EU trade sanction for lack of cooperation on IUU fishing
The European Union is warning eight nations from around the world to improve their fight against illegal fishing or risk sanctions. EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki said that naming Belize, Cambodia, Fiji, Guinea, Panama, Sri Lanka, Togo and Vanuatu did not mean they were put on a black list, but rather they were given a warning without measures attached to it at the moment. If the nations concerned do not cooperate they could face trade and other sanctions in the fisheries sector.
Sources Press article, Business week, 15 November 2012http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012... EC questions and answers on IUU fishing - 15 November 2012 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-releas...
Mauritanian civil society demands the implementation of the FPA with the EU
A Mauritanian civil society Round table discussion was held in Nouakchott on October 14-15 2012, organised by Pêchecops and the FNP, on the following topic: “The proposed protocol to the EU-Mauritania fisheries agreement: towards sustainable fisheries?”. The 43 participants agreed on several recommendations (click here for the report and recommendations).
These recommendations include:
the proposed protocol must be adopted as it is without new negotiations;
the access to octopus should be exclusively reserved for national operators, in particular artisanal;
the local landing of all products resulting from the fishing operations in the Mauritanian EEZ should be mandatory,
The principle of non-discrimination of treatment between all foreign fleets should be applied;
The involvement of all the stakeholders should be guaranteed at all stages of negotiations and implementation of the protocol, in particular through the setting up of an efficient advisory council
Transparency should be achieved concerning the conditions for access to resources by foreign companies, both in the context of the EU FPA, and in the case of others agreements signed by Mauritania;
Priorities of the partnership should include support for the development of a local purse seiners fleet, fishing sardinellas for local and regional human consumption; support for women in fisheries entrepreneurs; support for basic infrastructure (landing sites, etc)
Mauritanian fishing sector supports key elements of the FPA with the EU
Officially reacting to the proposal for a Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the EU, the Mauritanian fishing sector from Nouadhibou (one of the two main fishing centres in Mauritania) expressed its support for the following elements of the proposal, which ‘answer the hopes and essential concerns’ of the Mauritanian fishing sector and ‘make a definite break with past practices’:
the ban of foreign fishing on octopus;
the payments to be made according to quantities of fish caught;
New zoning to be put in place and the use of fishing techniques in line with responsible fisheries
the increase of the proportion of nationals to be embarked on board EU vessels
Pêchecops and CFFA want a sustainable fisheries partnership between EU and Mauritania
On June 8, Pêchecops (NGO Mauritania) and CFFA sent a letter to the EC Fisheries Commissioner, Maria Damanaki, insisting on the fact that ’the promotion of sustainable fisheries in the relations between Mauritania and the EU, - including the protection and development of artisanal and coastal fisheries-, will be best achieved by the conclusion of a partnership agreement based on good governance and transparency.
Pêchecops and CFFA ask for a serie of conditions to be met, including:
European fleets access must be strictly limited to stocks for which the existence of a surplus of resources non-exploitable by local fleets is demonstrated.
Within these limits, access shall be limited to European operators who use selective fishing techniques (prohibition of tickler chains, Nordmøre grid on trawlers, etc.), obey the rules and regulations, and land their catches in Mauritania.
Through an adequate zoning, industrial vessels should be excluded from the artisanal fishing zones and from other sensitive areas (coral areas, etc). To protect marine ecosystems and populations depending on them, it is important that these measures apply in a non discriminatory manner to all industrial vessels, local and foreign (including European and Chinese);
Conditions of full transparency concerning all authorized fleets operations should be established: regularly updated lists of authorised vessels should be made accessible to the public via the internet;
It is essential that the EU supports a joint framework where Mauritanian and European non-governmental actors can dialogue, allowing them to develop a common vision of the sustainable development of fisheries in Mauritania;
Pêchecops and CFFA also request for a commonly agreed investments policy to be part of the partnership, in order to finance: the implementation of fisheries management plans; superstructures and infrastructures for landing catches; the development of sustainable small-scale and coastal fishing given its comparative advantages for delivering sustainable fisheries and the training of young people and women to acquire fishing and processing skills.
A Chinese fleet, un-authorised for bluefin tuna fishing in the Mediterranean, on its way to Mauritania
In a press release, WWF indicates that 13 Chinese vessels, as well as a fleet with unknown flag, were present in the bluefin tuna fishing zone in the Mediterranean - none of these fishing vessels were on the lists of authorised vessels. The Chinese fleet, says WWF, crossed the Mediterranean from Suez to Gibraltar, before leaving the area on 26 May. Answering requests for information on those vessels, the Chinese authorities informed that the fleet was on its way to Mauritania. ’Despite obvious signs of illegal fishing, and numerous alerts sent to the competent authorities (...), as far as we know, no inspection at sea took place’, indicated Sergi Tudela, in charge of the marine programme at WWF Mediterranean
Source : REJOPRAO, quoting AFP, 31 May 2012
CFFA position on Pacific IEPA global sourcing derogation
Four years ago, when signing the IEPA with Papua New Guinea and Fiji, the EU agreed to a derogation to the rule of origin, in the form of ‘global sourcing’. This means that, regardless of where the fish (tuna) is caught, or the status of a vessel’s flag, registration or ownership, the fish is deemed originating, and can therefore benefit from duty free access to EU market, as long as it is transformed from being fresh or frozen into being a pre-cooked, packaged or canned product. This was a demand of the Pacific ACP group in their EPA negotiations with the European Union. This derogation raised concerns and criticisms from the EU tuna industry. Following a request based on access to information regulation, CFFA received in August a copy of a recent 2010 study commissioned by DG mare on preferential rules of origin for fisheries and aquaculture products. The study shows the importance of the global sourcing derogation for PNG local development, in particular in terms of job creation. It also demonstrates that, if the PNG processing industry was to expand its production thanks to the global sourcing derogation, this will have few direct impacts on the EU tuna industry. Moreover, the study concludes that ‘the perspective of having the EU market flooded by imports from PNG does not appear to be realistic.
CFFA’s position that, in line with their international commitments, particularly the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, the European Union and Papua New Guinea should put at the heart of their trade relations the support of environmentally, socially and economically sustainable fisheries development in Papua New Guinea.
CFFA feels therefore that the global sourcing derogation is important to maintain in the future. Moreover, an extension of global sourcing to other fish products should be considered in the negotiation of the full EPA- so that all ACP Pacific islands can increase their benefits from offshore fisheries. However, CFFA also wants to suggest concrete improvements, in particular regarding (1) the sustainable exploitation of tuna resources and (2) the benefits of foreign investments for local populations, coastal communities in particular.
To improve the sustainable exploitation of tuna resources, CFFA requests the EU to deepen the collaboration with Pacific islands in the context of the WCPFC, and support efforts made by the Pacific Islands in the context of the Parties of Nauru Agreement (PNA), to improve the management of the regional tuna fishery through restoring stocks and implementing appropriate reference points and harvest strategies . The EU should also pay particular attention at supporting Pacific islands efforts to combat IUU fishing, and ensure full traceability of their products.
To improve benefits of foreign investments for local populations, coastal communities in particular, CFFA proposes that: • Central mechanisms should be set up for demonstrating local benefits include full compliance with national minimum wage legislation; • National labour law and rights, including on occupational health and freedom of association, should be included into PMIZ and other processing development projects, like the developments going on in Lae and Wewak, legislation ; • any tuna processing facility should employ a minimum of 60% local labour; • The partnership of local players (e.g. service providing firms) with foreign processing investments should be favored.
Such issues could be discussed in the context of the current review process, informed by the review report to be published, and appropriate mechanisms to address them in the future should be designed to improve the impacts of global sourcing. PNG civil society and coastal communities should be adequately informed and involved in the process.
Impact analysis of the Poly Hondone Pelagic Fishery-Mauritania Convention
Presented as a model for promoting high value-added activities in order to take advantage of abundant, low market value pelagic resources, the investment program, included in the June 2011 Convention between the Chinese group POLY-HONDONE PELAGIC FISHERY and Mauritania, mainly targets demersal species, especially octopus, which goes against the sectoral policy, focused on the reduction of fishing effort through its development plan.
This Convention with a Chinese group, which has been implemented as the EU-Mauritania Fisheries Partnership Agreement negotiations were starting, only reinforces the skepticism of some as regards our fishing policy. According to them, the possible withdrawal of European cephalopod trawlers will be followed by the introduction of other foreign fishing vessels, with little regard for the sustainability of fisheries. This feeling is reinforced by recent decisions, such as to allow pair trawling, which do not seem to reflect the interest for sound management which led to the prohibition of tickler chains used by EU shrimp trawlers.
EU-Mauritania FPA: contribution of the Mauritanian NGO "Mer Bleue"
The Mauritanian NGO "Mer Bleue" congratulates the European Parliament for its resolution of May 14th on the new fisheries agreement. We are convinced that this resolution will be a crucial step in achieving sustainable and equitable fisheries in Mauritania and in the subregion. By this contribution, we wish to echo the MEPs’ call for FPA negotiations between the UE and Mauritania to be preceded by a broader debate allowing the participation of citizens, Civil Society organizations and national parliamentarians, in order to ensure democracy and transparency in fish resources management.
Mauritania: Civil society and fishing professionals take position on fisheries agreements with the EU and with China
These last days, Mauritanian civil society and the professionals from the fishing sector took position the on-going negotiations between the European Union and Mauritania concerning the future fisheries partnership, as well as on the convention of investment in the fisheries sector just signed by Mauritania with a Chinese company, Poly-Hondone Pelagic Fishery. About thirty representatives of the civil society and fishing sector professionals met on June 12th in Nouakchott, at the invitation of the Mauritanian NGO Pêchecops, with the support of CFFA, to discuss issues arising from these agreements.
The participants first greeted the resolution taken, in May 2011, by the European Parliament, who, they emphasized, was a positive development for the North-South relations. The recommendations from the meeting echoed this resolution, demanding the reduction of the fishing effort in Mauritanian waters (in particular by limiting the exploitation of certain species like the cephalopods, to the local fleets), the effective implication of the Mauritanian civil society and the fishing sector professionals in the whole negotiation process and in the implementation of these agreements, the reinforcement of the dialogue and the co-operation between the European and Mauritanian stakeholders, etc.
The recent convention of establishment between Mauritania and the Chinese company Poly-Hondone Pelagic Fishery was also discussed, and the participants oiced their opposition to this convention. The representatives of the National Fishing Federation stated that this convention will worsen the already precarious economic situation of the national sector. The allocation, through this convention, of tens of fishing licences (trawlers, potters, longliners, gillnetters and various experimental fisheries - see agreement protocol here after) will dangerously increase the pressure on the fish resources and will put in danger the Mauritanian sector. They stressed that it is for this reason that the European Parliament asked that negotiations for the renewal of the fisheries partnership agreement with the EU relate to only cover surplus stocks which cannot be caught by the local fleets.
Sources Press article, Rejoprao,13 June Press release FNP, 12 June Copy investment Convention Mauritania - Poly-Hondone Pelagic Fishery Copy protocol fisheries agreement Mauritania-Poly-Hondone Pelagic Fishery
- Atelier PECHECOPS/CAPE: recommandations
Mauritania-POLY HONDONE PELAGIC FISHERY CO. agreement: press release of the FNP
Mauritania professional fishermen, after having acknowledged the establishment contract signed between the Minister of Economic Affairs and Development and the company POLY HONDONE PELAGIC FISHERY CO., would like to call attention to the fact that this Convention is worsening the already precarious economic situation of national operators from the industrial and artisanal fisheries sector.
Read the press release here
Historical resolution by the European Parliament on the future EU-Mauritania agreement
A resolution on the EU-Mauritania fisheries partnership agreement, jointly tabled by the five most important political groups of the European Parliament, has been adopted today in plenary, before the start of the negotiations for its renewal. This agreement is the most important agreement between the EU and an ACP country. The Parliament thus gives, for the first time since the Lisbon Treaty entered into force, a strong signal on what its priorities are for the negotiations of an FPA.
The resolution considers that "cooperation must be based on mutual interest and take the form of initiatives and measures which, whether taken jointly or separately, are complementary and ensure consistent policies". The resolution highlights that "the FPA has contributed to the overexploitation of some stocks, particularly octopus, and has therefore reduced fishing opportunities for Mauritanian fishermen and given the EU industry a competitive advantage as a result of subsidised access fees for EU vessels". The resolution therefore insists that "any and all access negotiated for EU-flagged vessels to fish in Mauritanian waters must be based on the principle of surplus stocks ... should effort reductions be necessary, those third-country (EU and other) fleets causing the most environmental damage must be the first to make reductions", and also insists "on receiving reliable data on fishing opportunities and catches by third countries in Mauritanian waters so as to be able to identify any surplus resources; believes that, in the case of those stocks shared with other West African states, levels of fishing access in Mauritania must be negotiated with due regard to fishing levels in the other states".
The resolution urges also the Commission to ensure "that fishing activities under the FPA meet the same sustainability criteria as fishing activities in EU waters, including those relating to selectivity; calls on Commission to ensure compliance with the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, especially as regards the recommendation to grant local artisanal fishers preferential access to resources in Mauritanian waters", and insists "that fisheries agreements between the EU and third countries should be preceded by a wide-ranging debate in the countries concerned, allowing participation by the public, civil society organisations and national parliaments, thereby promoting greater democracy and transparency".
Concerning the financial compensation, the resolution "believes that the money paid as compensation for access to fish stocks in Mauritanian waters must be clearly uncoupled from financial support for the Mauritanian multiannual fisheries programme, in that any reduction in fishing opportunities must not lead to a reduction in EU payments under the multiannual programme... financial support for the Mauritanian multiannual fisheries programme must be in line with Mauritania’s needs for sustainable fisheries development, in particular management (research, control, stakeholder participation mechanisms, infrastructure and so on), as expressed in the EU-Mauritania cooperation and development framework". It further "believes that... the EU should support the fastest possible construction of adequate facilities for landing fish along Mauritania’s central and southern coastlines, including – but not limited to – Nouakchott, so that fish caught in Mauritanian waters can be landed at national ports rather than outside the country, as is often the case at present; believes that this will increase local fish consumption and support local employment; takes the view that these improvements, combined with the removal of wrecks and the modernisation of the major port of Nouadhibou, would enable the EU fleet to operate more effectively, facilitate investment flows and boost the FPA’s impact on the local economy".
Finally, the resolution underlines "the need for Parliament to be wholly involved in both the negotiating process and the long-term monitoring of the functioning of the new protocol, and recalls its conviction that Parliament should be represented at the Joint Committee meetings envisaged in fisheries agreements, and insists that civil society, including both EU and Mauritanian fisheries representatives, also participate in those meetings".
Source
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the EU-Mauritania Fisheries Partnership Agreement, 10.5.2011
Visit of a delegation of the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee in Mauritania
The issues at stake in the EU-Mauritania Fisheries Partnership Agreement were raised in a joint paper by Pêchecops and CFFA, at the occasion of the visit of a delegation of the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee in Mauritania. The paper will be distributed this week in Mauritania.
"In 2006, Mauritania and the European Union have signed a Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA) for the period 2006-2012. The current protocol of this agreement, covering the period 2008-2012, provides a 4-year financial support of 305 million euros to the fishing sector, as a counterpart of the acces to Mauritanian fishing grounds. This FPA is the most important agreement between the EU and an ACP state, authorizing EU vessels from 12 member states to fish in the Mauritanian waters.
(...) Today, the CAF (Coastal Artisanal Fisheries) is the only national fishing fleet to remain viable."
How Africa is feeding Europe: EU (over)fishing in West Africa
This Expedition Report provides a basic overview of the type of vessels encountered during the expedition, highlighting some of the problems of overfishing through specific examples. According to views expressed by local fishermen in Senegal and Mauritania, a consequence of foreign operations in West Africa, local fishing communities sees their own catch diminish and sees the destruction of local marine resources at the hands of foreign operators, while the communities themselves reap few if any of the benefits.
Denouncing the EU-Mauritania Fisheries Agreement protocol: Putting the “Fisheries Partnership” to the test
The European Commission proposes to denounce the EU - fisheries agreement protocol before end of January 2008. The method is brutal; true partnerships are built up through dialogue, not ultimatums. Nevertheless, this could provide an opportunity to review particular aspects of the agreement that may have contributed to the over exploitation of Mauritanian resources and undermined the sustainable development of the Mauritanian fisheries sector.
The European Commission proposes to denounce the EU - fisheries agreement protocol before end of January 2008. The method is brutal; true partnerships are built up through dialogue, not ultimatums. Nevertheless, this could provide an opportunity to review particular aspects of the agreement that may have contributed to the over exploitation of Mauritanian resources and undermined the sustainable development of the Mauritanian fisheries sector.
West African Media and Artisanal Fishing Professionals: Raising awareness about sustainable fisheries issues
In the recent years, West African artisanal fishing organizations, CONIPAS (Senegal), FNP – section artisanale (Mauritania) and UNPAG (Guinea) recognised that, in their communities, there is insufficient access to information relating to responsible fisheries. In the same way, scientists, decision makers and public opinion, do not take sufficient account of the views of artisanal fishing professionals, whether on social, economic, cultural issues, or on our relation with the natural environment.
Facilitating access to information is crucial for the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries by members of professional organizations, their families and the overall coastal community. It is also important to valorise, through improving information flows, traditional knowledge, and innovations proposed by artisanal professional in a perspective of responsible fishing.
Medias, radio in particular, - as it is widely listened to by fishing professional, even those who are not able to read-, but also newspapers and television, can play a bigger role to improve community access to information. But information must be presented in an appropriate format, so as to be of interest and accessible for all people from the community.
That’s the reason why these artisanal professional organizations decided to organize a regional meeting between media and fishing professionals, to explore how responsible fisheries issues can be better publicized in coastal communities, and how communities’ point of views and experiences for promoting sustainable fisheries can be better known and recognised, with media help. Given such support, coastal communities may get a better say in the decision making process.
The organisers are convinced that information appropriately tailored to the needs of coastal communities, and their participation in the creation of information is a necessary ingredient for the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. This is because fishing professionals are not only resource users but are also amongst the managers of these resources.
Mauritania EU Fisheries Partnership Agreement: What impacts on fisheries sustainable development in Mauritania?
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.
Mauritania – European Union: Fisheries Agreement on the political menu
The Mauritania-EU fisheries partnership agreement proposal, initialed end of July by the Mauritanian authorities and the European Commission, will be on the menu when the European Parliament reconvenes on August 28th . It will also be on the table of the next EU Fisheries Ministers Council.
The EU Parliament and Council will have to agree on the content of an agreement described as the most important both in terms of the access provided to EU fleets – about 200 boats are concerned-, and levels of financial compensation, - Mauritania is to receive 86 millions euros/year.
To mark the occasion, Pêchecops (Pour une Pêche Ecologique génératrice de progrès social - Mauritania) and CFFA (Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements – EU) have published an analysis of the issues arising from this agreement, entitled: Mauritania EU Fisheries Partnership Agreement: What impacts on fisheries sustainable development in Mauritania?
This analysis shows that, for some of Mauritania’s overexploited resources, like the octopus, the EU fleets’ proposed access runs contrary to the principles of sustainable development, as enshrined in the EU fisheries Council conclusions on fisheries partnership agreements. Moreover, a large number of the EU fishing vessels operating under the agreement will use destructive and unselective fishing methods, such as trawls, which are, in the Mauritanian coastal zone, a long term threat to the eco-system.
Pêchecops and CFFA are advocating for a real partnership, where EU fleet access is based only on the available surplus of resources that cannot be caught locally. A real partnership should also include increased participation of stakeholders, particularly artisanal fishing sector and civil society.