New EU-Cook Islands fisheries deal
Under the new Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) and the 4-year Protocol with Cook Islands approved by plenary on Tuesday a maximum of four EU purse seiners will be allowed to fish for tuna and other highly migratory species in the Cook Islands’ fishing zone, up to 7.000 tons per year.
In exchange, the EU will pay the Cook Islands a compensation of € 385,000 for the first and the second years and € 350,000 for the third and fourth years for access, as well as € 350,000 per year to support the fisheries policy of the Cook Islands. The member state with an interest in the new SFPA is mainly Spain.
The new deal was approved by 578 votes to 95 with 16 abstentions.
Background information
The Cook Islands, an archipelago of 15 Pacific islands divided into two groups, have a population of about 15 000 (2011 figures). They have a special relationship with New Zealand whereby they share New Zealand’s currency and all Cook Islanders are entitled to New Zealand nationality. The fisheries sector accounts for 3% of the Cook Islands’ GDP, a figure that remained constant in the period from 2007 to 2011 while GDP grew by roughly 34%, and its importance has thus declined in relation to the local economy as a whole. Exports of fishery products in 2011 amounted to EUR 1.35 million.
The Cook Islands have traditionally allowed vessels from other countries to have access to their EEZ. The agreements in question, however, were concluded on a private basis for purely commercial purposes and thus make it harder to build relations based on stock sustainability criteria.
Procedures: Consent procedure (protocol)
Contacts:
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Kristina-Antigoni ELEFTERIE
Press Officer