In November 2010 EU fisheries ministers approved the renewed protocol of the fisheries partnership agreement (FPA) negotiated with Comoros, a month before the existing protocol was due to expire. Under the new accord, which sets out the conditions and terms of access to fishing zones in Comorian waters for vessels from the EU, 45 tuna seining vessels and 25 surface longliners will have guaranteed access to Comorian fishing zones. For this the EU will pay EUR1.85m (US$2.34m) over a three-year period; of the total, EUR315,250 (US$398,749) per year relates to charges for the right of access to Comorian territorial waters, equivalent to an annual reference tonnage of 4,850 tonnes. A further EUR300,000 per year will be used to help to implement a fisheries policy for Comoros. If authorised annual catches are exceeded, the EU's financial contribution will rise by EUR65 per excess tonne. Overfishing has been a problem in the past, but this is chiefly caused by illegal fishing by non-EU vessels. Indeed, the new FPA authorises an increase in EU fishing: under the previous deal, 40 tuna seiners and 17 surface longliners were allowed to catch tuna in Comorian waters, paying EUR390,000 a year. Fishing has long been mooted as a possible means of broadening Comoros's economic base, since the sector has generally been underdeveloped. It is clear, however, that subsidiary investment-in improved processing and storage facilities, for example-will be necessary if the industry is to be strengthened.