Brussels, 23/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 20 November, the European Commission adopted its proposals on guide prices and Community producer prices for the 2010 fishing season. The aim of this text is to ensure support measures and intervention mechanisms (withdrawals, aid for private storage, compensation for tuna) throughout the season. The Commission is setting aside €13 million for these kinds of measures in 2010. The Council will adopt the guide prices at its December meeting.
Guide prices, the proposal states, should follow the development of market prices over the three previous fishing years and also trends in production and demand. Thus, for fresh products, the Commission is proposing reductions of between 1% and 6% for whitefish and crustacean species (for example, there will be a 5% reduction for cod and a 6% reduction for hake); increases of between 1% and 3% for pelagic species, such as sardine and albacore, and reductions of between 1% and 4% for herring, mackerel, Spanish mackerel and anchovy. In the frozen products sector, the proposal reflects increases of between 1% and 2% for hake and prawns and reductions of between 1% and 4% for Greenland halibut, sea bream, cuttlefish, octopus and squid. The proposal also recommends a 4% reduction in the Community producer price for tuna products (yellowfin tuna). (L.C./transl.rt)