The current fisheries partnership agreement concluded between the EU and Guinea-Bissau started on 16 June 2007. It is tacitly renewed for 4-year periods.
It is a multi-species agreement covering tuna as well as cephalopods, shrimps, demersal species and small pelagics. The agreement is part of the tuna network of fisheries agreements in West Africa and is one of only 3 multi-species agreements in the region (the others being Morocco and Mauritania).
The current protocol applies provisionally as of 15 June 2019 for a duration of 5 years. The protocol allows EU vessels from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, France, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland to fish in Guinea-Bissau's waters.
Main features of the SFPA
Duration of the agreement
4 years renewable (16.6.2007 - 15.6.2011, 16.6.2011 - 15.6.2015, 16.6.2015 - 15.6.2019, 16.6.2019 -1 5.6.2023)
Duration of the protocol
5 years (15.6.2019—14.6.2024)
Nature of the SFPA
Multi-species agreement
Financial contribution
€15,600,000/year, including €4,000,000/year to support the fisheries sector
Fee for ship owners
Pole and line: €55 per tonne caught
Seiners and long-liners: €70 for seiners per tne caught, €55 for long-liner per tonne caught
Fish & cephalopods: First 2 years of the protocol: €282/GRT/year. From third year: €90/t for demersal fish; €270/t for cephalopods
Shrimps: First 2 years of the protocol: €395/GRT/year. From third year: €280/t
Small pelagics: First 2 years of the protocol: €250/GRT/year. From third year: €100/t (>1000 GT). €75/t (<= 1000 GT)
Advances (non-refundable)
Pole and line: €2,500 per year (ref catches: 45,5t)
Seiners: €4,500 per year (ref catches: 64,3 t)
Longliners: €3,000 per year (ref catches: 54,5 t)
Reference tonnage
No
Fishing opportunities
History
The previous protocol with Guinea-Bissau expired on 23.11.2017. Following more than a year and half of interruption of the negotiations due to the political situation in Guinea-Bissau, a new protocol was negotiated and initialed between the parties on 15 November 2018. Following the adoption by Council on 6 June 2019 of the decision on the signature and provisional application of the protocol, the new protocol between the EU and Guinea-Bissau was signed and applies provisionally as of 15 June 2019.
Scientific advice
In accordance with the agreement and protocol, the two parties encourage scientific cooperation and consult a joint scientific committee (JSC) to strengthen monitoring of the marine biological resources and to examine scientific questions relating to the implementation of the protocol.
The EU-Guinea-Bissau JSC last met in Bissau, 29 March to 5 April 2022.
Documents
Current legal framework
Agreement adopted by Council Decision 2007/854/EC of 4.12.2007 (OJ L342 of 27.12.2007).
Protocol adopted by Council Decision 2019/1088 of 6.6.2019 (OJ L 173 of 27.6.2019).
Allocation of fishing opportunities adopted by Council Regulation (EU) 2019/1089 of 6.6.2019 (OJ L 173 of 27.6.2019).