Council Decision 2003/431/EC on the signing, on behalf of the Community, and provisional application of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters concerning the extension of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Agreement between the European Community and the Government of Mauritius on fishing in Mauritian waters for the period 3 December 2002 to 2 December 2003.

By enacting this Decision the Council has approved the signature of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters concerning the extension of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Agreement between the European Community and the Government of Mauritius on fishing in Mauritian waters for the period 3 December 2002 to 2 December 2003. In addition, article 4 provides for the allocation among certain Member States, as per different types of vessels, of the fishing opportunities accorded by Mauritius under the above-mentioned Agreement. If licence applications submitted by those Member States do not cover all the fishing opportunities, the Commission may consider licence applications presented by other Member States. Lastly, the Member States whose vessels fish under the Agreement shall notify the Commission of the quantities of each stock caught within the Mauritian fishing zone in accordance with Commission Regulation (EC) No. 500/2001.