Anger in the Cooks as tuna deal sewn up

The Cook Islands environmental group Te Ipukarea is furious the government has gone ahead and formalised a fishing deal with the European Union.

Under the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement vessels from the EU will be able to fish the country's exclusive economic zone and the Cook Islands is to get nearly seven million US dollars over a four-year period.

The EU vessels will target skipjack tuna but Te Ipukarea is concerned at the impact on other species.

Its technical director Kelvin Passfield told Don Wiseman the government should have waited until a court case over the matter is heard next March.