Pamela Maru, Secretary for the Ministry of Marine Resources of the Cook Islands and Costas Kadis, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, sign the new Implementing Protocol to the Sustainable Fisheries partnership Agreement.
European Commission
The European Union and the Cook Islands have signed a new protocol aimed at promoting sustainable fisheries, which will run for a total of seven years, from 2025 to 2032.
Therefore, the European Union fleet will be able to access some of the richest and healthiest tuna stocks in the world, for a total of 40 fishing days per year.
In return, the EU will continue to promote the sustainable development of the fisheries sector and the blue economy in the Cook Islands with a contribution of €3.22 million, that is, €460,000 per year.
Specifically, €295,000 will go toward supporting sustainable fisheries management in the Cook Islands, as well as their control and surveillance capacities, and the development of the blue economy.
Additionally, European shipowners will pay €90,000 for the authorization that will allow them to fish for 10 days in the country’s waters.
"Our partnership agreements have gained worldwide recognition as a benchmark for good fisheries governance. The European Union is pleased to continue its fruitful fisheries partnership with the Cook Islands over the next seven years," expressed Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis.
In June, the European Commission released the 2025 edition of its flagship EU Blue Economy Report, revealing that the EU's blue economy generated €250.7 billion in gross value added (GVA) and employed 4.82 million people in 2022.
