The Government of Equatorial Guinea Thursday expressed its intention to continue talks with the European Union (EU) in order to reach a new agreement that will renew the previous accord dated 2001.
The Equatorial Guinean Minister of Fisheries and Environment, Crescencio Tamarite Castaño, from Malabo, said that negotiations began last year, reports EFE. He said the African country was waiting for the response of the EU to resume talks. In 2004, it had requested Spain’s assistance to reach a renewal.
The latest EU fishing agreement with Equatorial Guinea is dated June 2001 and was for Euro 412,500 per year. The pact benefitted 68 tuna vessels, 35 of which were Spanish and the rest from Italy and Portugal.
The agreement enabled EU vessels to fish 5,500 tons each year, representing 1,500 tons more than in the previous accord of 1997.