Les Seychelles et Maurice renouvellent leur accord de pêche

Les Seychelles et Maurice renouvellent leur accord de pêche


(Photo d’illustration) Actuellement trois bateaux battant pavillon mauricien pêchent dans les eaux seychelloises. Les Seychelles sont d’ailleurs l’un des principaux ports de thon de l’océan Indien.

Par La Rédaction
20 Janvier 2015
Aujourd’hui mardi 20 janvier démarrent les négociations visant à renouveler l’accord de pêche entre les Seychelles et Maurice. Cet accord expire en mars 2015. Introduit en 1995, il permet aux bateaux de pêches mauriciens et seychellois d’opérer dans les eaux territoriales de ces deux pays respectifs.

Le directeur général de la pêche de Maurice, Daroomalingun Mauree, et sa délégation, doivent se rendre à Mahé aujourd’hui. Cette rencontre avec les responsables seychellois est la première dans le cadre de ces négociations. Elle marque le début des discussions.

Trois bateaux battant pavillon mauricien pêchent dans les eaux seychelloises.

Les bateaux de pêche battant pavillon des Seychelles n’opèrent pas dans les eaux mauriciennes.

L’archipel des Seychelles a une zone économique exclusive (ZEE) de plus 1,3 million de kilomètres carré. Il est géographique bien situé, car ses eaux regorgent de thons.

Tout comme la ZEE de l’île Maurice qui, elle, s’étend sur 2,3 millions de kilomètres carrés, dont 396 000 de kilomètres carrés gérés conjointement avec les Seychelles sur le plateau continental.

Les Seychelles sont l’un des principaux ports de thon de l’océan Indien. Tous les ans, 200 000 tonnes de ce poisson pélagique transbordent au port de Victoria.

La pêche, qui est le deuxième pilier de l’économie seychelloise derrière le tourisme, rapporte à l’économie du pays 266 millions d’euros par an, d’après les chiffres fournis par l’Autorité des pêches SFA.

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Seychelles and Mauritius renegotiate fisheries accord

26-January-2015
Representatives from Seychelles and Mauritius met in Victoria this week to renegotiate the fisheries accord between the two countries.

The Seychelles delegation was led by Philippe Michaud, the chairman of the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) board while the Mauritius delegation was led by Mylavadee Mudaliar, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Ocean Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, Shipping and Outer Islands.

According to a communique from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, discussions were held in an open and constructive manner, which helped reach a common understanding of the necessity to have a timely renewal of the agreement to ensure continuity of fishing operations.

In view of this need for continuity, both parties agreed that the reciprocal fishing agreements need to be signed at latest before March 11, 2015.

It was agreed for the parties to exchange the proposed reciprocal fishing agreements before the second round of negotiation scheduled for February 23 to 25, 2015 in Port Louis, Mauritius.

The Seychelles delegation presented their proposals with focus on development in the sector, highlighting the needs to incorporate international obligations in the agreement and addressing sustainability issues as well as port State obligations.

The Mauritius delegation responded that it had come to Seychelles with a view to discussing the reciprocal agreements taking on board the spirit of regional co-operation that have been embedded in both outgoing reciprocal agreements in the interest of both parties.

The Mauritius delegation requested for the reciprocal nature of the agreement to be maintained, to which the Seychelles delegation had no objection.

On this basis, both sides agreed to the process of having an exchange of reciprocal agreements prior to the next round of negotiation.

It was agreed that the discussions relating to fishing opportunities and licence fees as presented by the Seychelles delegation would be further addressed at the next round of negotiation.

At the request of the Mauritius delegation, the Seychelles team agreed to reconsider the proposal made regarding fishing opportunities and licence fees. The Mauritius authority would submit counter proposal.

An examination of the text of the proposed Seychelles draft agreement and its annex was undertaken. The Mauritius delegation has agreed to propose a text on the same line to reflect reciprocity of the bilateral fishing agreements.

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