92003E0146

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0146/03

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 January 2003)

Subject: EU-Seychelles international fisheries agreement and development cooperation

In the context of the current EU-Seychelles international fisheries agreement, can the Commission indicate:

1. how much the EU has earmarked for the development of the fisheries sector on the Seychelles?

2. how much the EU pays by way of a financial contribution in exchange for fishing rights for the Community fleet?

3. how much Community shipowners have to pay in fees for fishing licences and fishing rights?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(6 March 2003)

1. Article 2 of the current Protocol to the fisheries agreement between the Community and the Republic of Seychelles(1) fixes the level of financial compensation at EUR 3 460 000 per year. Of this, EUR 1 160 000 is used for the measures in support of the Seychelles fisheries sector specified in Article 3 of the Protocol.

2. The financial compensation of EUR 3 460, 000 per year represents the amount that is paid in exchange for the fishing opportunities made available to the Community fleet.

3. The amounts paid by the vessel owners are fixed in the Annex to the Protocol. The licence fees are EUR 25 per tonne of tuna caught within Seychelles waters. The licences are delivered after advance payments of EUR 10 000 for tuna seiners, EUR 2 000 for surface longliners of more than 150 gross registered tonnage (GRT)

and EUR 1 500 for surface longliners of 150 GRT or less. The amounts of the advances are deducted from the total amount due on the basis of the catches during the preceding year, but if the amount due is less than the advance the balance is not recoverable.

(1) OJ L 134, 22.5.2002.