During four years EU vessels will be able to access Côte d'Ivoire’s waters.
European Commission
The European Union and Côte d'Ivoire have resumed their fisheries cooperation agreement to support food security and promote an adequate supply of fisheries products to the EU market.
In this way, EU vessels will be able to access Côte d'Ivoire’s waters for a period of four years and have the right to fish around 6,100 tonnes of tuna and other migratory species per year.
Moreover, the EU will provide support to the country's fishing communities through improved scientific knowledge and administrative management of resources, job creation, and the development of the Port of Abidjan.
Finally, this initiative will enable the creation of projects to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU) through the promotion of monitoring, control, and surveillance.
The protocol is supported by EU financial aid amounting to €2.967 billion. Of this, €740,000 per year will be allocated, with €435,000 dedicated to supporting the sustainable fisheries sector in Côte d'Ivoire.
Furthermore, the EU has announced that its shipowners will pay the Côte d'Ivoire administration a license and capture fee of €80 per tonne. This fee will increase to €85 per tonne in the third and fourth year of the protocol's implementation.
Both communities have committed to ensuring labor conditions in line with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as well as the recommendations and resolutions of the Regional Fisheries Management Organizations.
