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Maria Damanaki, the Commissioner of Fisheries of the European Union. (Photo: EC)
Debate on fisheries agreement with Morocco to resume
 EUROPEAN UNION
Wednesday, October 20, 2010, 22:50 (GMT + 9)
This Thursday, the Commissioner of Fisheries of the European Union (EU), Mary Damanaki, will meet with the Minister of Fisheries of Morocco, Akhannouch Aziz, in Brussels to discuss the renewal of the fishing agreement.
Under the current pact, 119 European vessels are authorized to fish in Moroccan waters, a hundred of which are Spanish flagged.
In return, the EU pays Morocco an annual sum of around EUR 36.1 million by way of compensation.
While the current agreement expires in March 2011, to date there is no formal timetable with regards to negotiating the signing of another agreement, EU sources told the EFE news agency.
It is expected that during the meeting this week, representatives from the European Commission (EC) will be presented with information from the Moroccan authorities stating that the agreement is benefiting the people of the Western Sahara, since Damanaki considers that such data "is essential" to renew the pact.
"We can not renew the current protocol, unless the Moroccan authorities provide us with such information," said the Commissioner.
She added: "If not, we will have to rethink and explore other avenues in our bilateral fishing agreement."
Next February, if both sides fail to sign a new agreement, European vessels will leave the Moroccan waters, as happened between 1999 and 2007 due to a lack of a convention.
"We have asked our Moroccan partners to cooperate with us to resolve this matter, [with regards to the information about the effect on the Sahara]," added Damanaki.
Recently, a group of MEPs, among which is the Spanish representative, Raul Romeva, who stated that the European Parliament (EP) should exclude the waters of the Sahara from the fisheries agreement between the EU and Morocco.
MEPs insist that there must be a link between fishing and respect for human rights, but argue that the commitment to fishing is not benefiting the Saharawi population, although the EU vessels fishing in their costs.
Related articles:
- MEP's ask for Sahara to be excluded from EU/ Morocco agreement
- New food trade agreement with Morocco will aid fisheries sector
By Analia Murias
[email protected]
www.seafood.media
Photo Courtesy of FIS Member  European Commission - Fisheries and Maritime Affairs
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