Brussels, 03/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 2 June, the European Parliament's fisheries committee, in exchange for certain amendments, approved a proposal to update and simplify Regulation 708/2007 of the Council on the use of aquaculture for exotic species and species that do not exist in local areas. The EP plenary vote on the report by João Ferreira (GUE/NGL, Portugal) on this proposal will take place in September 2010.
This regulation, which dates back to 1997, establishes a framework governing aquaculture practices for exotic species and locally absent stocks, in an effort to evaluate and reduce to a minimum the potential impact of the species and non-targeted species associated with them on the different aquatic habitats. The regulation aims to set up a national licence system. The proposal will ensure that the introduction and transfer for use in “closed aquatic installations” (safer) will be able, in the future, to be exempted from the compulsory license. The amendment to the regulation proposed by the Commission is based on the results of the IMPASSE project, a concerted action carried out into examining the environmental impact of exotic species used in agriculture. This proposal will help provide some relief to operators with regard to this administrative formality. (L.C./transl.fl)