The Minister of Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, believes the agreement should be extended for at least a year. (Photo: MARM)

EC proposes extention of fishing agreement with Morocco

EUROPEAN UNION
Tuesday, February 08, 2011, 03:20 (GMT + 9)

The European Commission (EC) will propose on Friday to extend the current fisheries agreement with Morocco "for a limited time" to allow the EU fleet to continue fishing in Moroccan waters.

The current agreement expires on February 27 and Brussels seeks its temporary extension, as this would result in "more time to gather and discuss the information presented by Morocco," European sources told the EFE news agency.

The head of the Ministry of Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs (MARM) of Spain, Rosa Aguilar, also requested an extension "for at least one year," with the aim of ensuring the permanence of the country's fleet fishing in Moroccan waters.

Spain is the main beneficiary of the agreement signed with Morocco, as 100 of the 119 licenses awarded to the EU fleet are Spanish.

If the agreement expires, Spanish vessels would have to stop their activities, which is of a significant financial detriment to the workers.

The renewal of the fishing agreement, which results in the European Union (EU) paying Morocco EUR 36.1 million per year for EU vessels to fish in its waters, still did not materialize due to differences over the Western Sahara problem.

As a legal report by the European Parliament (EP) determined that the agreement was not respecting international law, because the Saharawi population was not receiving financial contributions from the EU, so they have asked the Moroccan government to present evidence showing that the agreement also benefits native people.

This was said by the European Fisheries Commissioner, Maria Damanaki, who recently received new data that will be evaluated.

For her part, Aguilar stressed: "At the moment it is no longer possible to discuss new arrangements. The important thing is an extension to allow enough time to look forward, with confidence and a broad perspective," reports the Europa Press.

Related articles:

- Spain calls on EC to extend fishing agreement with Morocco
- EC proposes new fishing agreement with Morocco to exclude Saharan waters

By Analia Murias
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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