Brussels proposes to pay Greenland €15,847,244 per annum for six years from 1 January 2007 for fishing rights for certain species.
The outline deal, reports Peter O'Neill, was announced mid-June and replaces the present agreement which dates from 1985. EU officials said part of the fishing rights will be for the EU fleet and another part will be used in quota swaps with third countries to balance the EU fisheries' agreements in the North Atlantic. Shipowners fishing in Greenlandic waters will have to put in an additional €2mn for licence fees (representing 5% per tonne of species' landing value). A further €25mn from the EU, for cooperation in areas other than fisheries, brings the money for Greenland up to the level of the previous agreement.
However, officials said EU fishing opportunities will decrease to meet stock concerns and boost opportunities for Greenland's own fishing industry as well as own research and training. Of the funding, 25% will go to support Greenlandic fisheries' development.
Catch reductions would include redfish, down by 66% to 8,000 tonnes, Greenland halibut (East) down 16% to 7,500 tonnes and snow crab, down by 50% to 500 tonnes. There will be increases in Greenland halibut (West), up by 66% to 2,500 tonnes and shrimp (East) up by 23% to 7,000 tonnes. Roundnose grenadier is completely out and can only be taken as by-catch. The cod quota will start at 1,000 tonnes in 2007 and rise to 3,500 over the life of the agreement.
There will be a reserve funding element of €1,540,000 for additional quotas of capelin and cod as they become available and €3,261,449 for “sustainable and responsible fishing”. The Commission and Greenland will discuss operational details in September.
