With 557 votes to 34 and 31 abstentions, MEPs backed the largest fisheries agreement concluded by the EU with a third country. Valid for six years, it will enable vessels from France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Spain to fish for tuna, small pelagic fish, crustaceans and demersal fish in Mauritanian waters. In return for maximum 290.000 tonnes of fish, Mauritania will receive €57.5 million a year. An additional €3.3 million per year will be used to support the local fishing community.

Making the agreements public

In the accompanying resolution adopted with 532 votes to 23 and 74 abstentions, MEPs welcome Mauritania’s commitment to make all its fisheries agreements with other countries public, to ensure the EU fleet the same conditions of access to Mauritanian resources as any other fleet.

Ending overfishing

The European Parliament also urges Mauritania to stop overfishing of small pelagic stock, which has negative consequences on local food security and causes water pollution. Small pelagic fish are processed into fishmeal and fish oil by the food processing industry instead of being used for local consumption, MEPs say. They note that while Mauritania committed in 2017 to gradually phase out fishmeal and fish oil production by 2020, there has been an expansion of fishmeal factories since 2010.

MEPs also support the EU’s fleet in kind contribution to local communities. EU fishers are encouraged to continue…