[2020-06-12] Deal sought on Chinese access to Guinéan fishing grounds

Source: Macauhub

Guiné-Bissau intends to seek an agreement with China about exploiting Guinéan fishing grounds, similar to an agreement between Guiné-Bissau and the European Union, Lusa reports, quoting Guinéan Minister of Fishing Malam Sambú as saying on Tuesday.

The Portuguese news agency says 70 Chinese-owned vessels are fishing in Guinéan waters at present.

The Guinéan-EU agreement, in force until 2024, allows up to 50 Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian or Greek vessels to fish in Guinéan waters in exchange for an annual payment of 15.6 million euros (about US$17.7 million), Lusa says.

In a separate report, the Guinéan state-run news agency, Agência de Notícias da Guiné (ANG), quotes Mr Sambú as saying an agreement with China may attract more investment in the Guinéan fishing industry. Mr Sambú was formerly the Guinéan ambassador to China between 2010 and last March, ANG says.