Overview
Status: Protocol in place
Type of agreement: Tuna
Protocol dates: 27 July 2026 – 26 July 2030
EU total financial contribution: €5.750,000 per year
The sustainable fisheries partnership agreement (SFPA) signed by the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on 28 February 2020, lasts for six years and can be automatically renewed for another six years. The current fisheries protocol was signed on 27 July 2026.
Financial details
EU financial contribution: €5,750,000 per year, with €3,000,000 dedicated to supporting the sustainable development of the Seychelles’ fisheries policy.
Fees for operators: €90 per tonne.
- Advance payment for tuna seiners: €72,000 per vessels per year (equivalent to the fees due for 800 tonnes of tuna and tuna-like species).
- Advance payment for surfase longliners: €8,100 per vessels per year (equivalent to the fees due for 90 tonnes of tuna and tuna-like species).
- Payment for support vessels: €6,000 per vessel per year.
- Specific fee dedicated to environmental management and observation of marine ecosystems in Seychelles waters of €2,5 per GT.
Access to waters
Reference tonnage: 55.000 tonnes per year
Fishing access: Vessels from France, Spain, Italy and Portugal can fish for tuna in Seychelles waters.
| Fishing opportunities (number of vessels) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | Spain | Italy | Portugal | TOTAL | |
| Tuna purse seiners | 12 | 17 | 1 | 30 | |
| Surface longliners | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
Sectoral support
The EU provides an envelope of €3,000,000 per year for support to the sustainable fisheries sector in Seychelles.
The protocol provides for EU support to
- small-scale fisheries and aquaculture
- promotion of scientific cooperation in the field of fisheries
- enhancement of the socio-economic wellbeing and safeguarding of the welfare of current and future generations
- sanitary and quality management in the fisheries sector and support for domestic and export capacities
- fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance and the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing
Scientific advice
Tuna-like species are managed by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), which includes both the EU and Seychelles as members. The EU and Seychelles work together within IOTC to evaluate and manage tuna stocks. The EU’s tuna fleet fishes in compliance with IOTC’s rules.
Next steps
The new protocol has applied provisionally since 27 July 2026 and will enter into force once both parties have completed their ratification procedures. On the EU side, this requires the consent of the European Parliament.
News
Today, the EU and Seychelles signed a new protocol to the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement granting EU vessels access to Seychelles’ waters for a period of four years to fish 55,000 tonnes of tuna and other migratory species per year.
EU and Seychelles representatives met on 24-26 November in Victoria, Seychelles to take stock of the 2020-2026 Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA).