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Oceans and fisheries

Côte d'Ivoire

Fisheries partnership agreement with Côte d'Ivoire

Overview

Status: Protocol in place

Type of agreement: Tuna

Protocol dates: 6 June 2025 – 5 June 2029

EU total financial contribution: €740,000 per year

The first fisheries agreement between the EU and Côte d'Ivoire was concluded in 1990.

The fisheries partnership agreement (FPA) signed by the EU and Côte d’Ivoire applied from 1 July 2007 until 30 June 2013. After this, it is automatically renewed for 6 years periods. The current fisheries protocol covers the period from 6 June 2025 to 5 June 2029.

Financial details

EU financial contribution: €740,000 per year, with €435,000 dedicated to supporting the sustainable development of Côte d'Ivoire’s fisheries policy.

Fees for operators: €80 per tonne caught until 5 June 2027, then €85 per tonne caught.

  • Advance payment for tuna seiners: €12,000 per vessels per year until 5 June 2027, then €12,750 thereafter (equivalent to the fees due for 150 tonnes per year).
  • Advance payment for surface longliners: €4,000 per vessel per year until 5 June 2027, then €4,250 thereafter (equivalent to the fees due for 50 tonnes per year).
  • Support vessels in support of seiners: €3,500 per year.
  • Observer fees: €400 per vessel. 

Access to waters

Reference tonnage: 6,100 tonnes per year

Fishing access: Vessels from France, Portugal and Spain can fish for tuna in Côte d'Ivoire waters.

Fishing opportunities (number of vessels)
 SpainFrancePortugalTotal
Freezer tuna seiners1411-25
Surface longliners5-27

Sectoral support

The EU provides an envelope of €435,000 per year to support the national strategy for sustainable fisheries. It should contribute to good ocean governance and the promotion of responsible and sustainable fisheries.

EU funding supports the following priorities

  • improvement of scientific knowledge
  • development of sustainable small-scale fishing and aquaculture
  • employment and job training for fishing communities, especially for women and young people
  • control and inspection of fishing activities, in particular combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and deterring and sanctioning infringements relating to IUU fishing

Scientific advice

Tuna-like species in the Atlantic are managed by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), which includes both the EU and Côte d'Ivoire as members. The EU and Côte d'Ivoire work together within ICCAT to study and manage tuna stocks. The EU's tuna fleet fishes in compliance with ICCAT's rules. 

According to  the agreement and its implementing protocol, the EU and Côte d'Ivoire can hold scientific meetings to assess and recommend ways to manage fishery resources sustainably.

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