The President of the Republic of Seychelles, Dr. Patrick Herminie, met this afternoon with members of the European Parliament (EU) Fisheries Committee to strengthen relations and reaffirm the importance of the longstanding partnership between Seychelles and the European Union.
The delegation, comprising of five Parliamentarians from diverse specialised backgrounds, highlighted the significance of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement that has been in place since 1987 positioning Seychelles as a trusted and preferred partner of the EU. However, the current agreement is due to expire in six days.
Representing the Vice-Chair, who was unable to attend the visit, Emma Wiesner noted that Seychelles remains one of the EU’s most important global partners in tuna fishing. She acknowledged that external factors continue to influence negotiations as both parties work towards mutually agreeable terms.
Discussions also covered the broader benefits for Seychelles beyond financial returns, including cooperation on geopolitics, transparency, and challenges that may affect the pace of reaching a new agreement.
In his remarks, President Herminie emphasised that fisheries remain a key pillar of the Seychellois economy, highlighting the government’s commitment to negotiating a better deal. He further stressed that, given the EU’s longstanding partnership with Seychelles and the unique vulnerabilities of Small Island States, income considerations should be carefully weighed when determining the financial aspects of the agreement.
To date, four rounds of negotiations have been held since June last year, with a fifth round scheduled for the first week of March. It was also noted that the Seychelles Fisheries Partnership Agreement is an exclusivity arrangement without a valid protocol in place, EU vessels cannot be licensed to fish in Seychelles waters, though they may continue to use port facilities.
Present at the meeting were the Principal Minister, Wallace Cosgrow, the Secretary of State for Fisheries and the Blue Economy, Alain Decommarmond, and the Principal Secretary for Fisheries, Roy Clarisse.
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