Brussels, 26/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - Reform of the common fisheries policy (CFP), multiannual fish stock management plans, the extension of technical measures and the extension of a number of bilateral fisheries agreements, especially EU-Morocco, are the main priorities of the Hungarian Presidency in fisheries. Fisheries issues will feature largely during this first half of the year. Yet they will not be discussed until the Councils in April and June.
Carmen Fraga Estévez (EPP, Spain), chairwoman of the European Parliament (EP) fisheries committee, asked the Hungarian Presidency how it planned to break the deadlock on the recovery plans for anchovy (in the Bay of Biscay) and western horse mackerel. She pointed out that the fisheries agreement with Morocco expires on 27 February and that, from that date, the Community fleet will have to leave that fishing zone.
Hungarian Rural Development Minister and current Council President Sándor Fazekas told the EP fisheries committee on Tuesday 25 January that Hungary did not have a long maritime tradition or a long fisheries policy history and suggested that this could be to Hungary's advantage in that it did not have any interests to defend when conducting EU work. “The present and the future of fisheries is essential for us all, and we have to ensure the sustainability and viability of the fisheries policy”, he said.
CFP reform. This is the top priority. At the end of May, the Commission will bring forward a package of legislative reforms, on which the Presidency is planning a debate at the Council meeting in June. The values of the CFP have to be maintained, Fazekas said, and the new challenges met. Fishing has an impact on the marine environment and “preserving the marine environment is a permanent challenge for the EU”. According to the Presidency, “aquaculture must be developed to ensure market supply”.
Multiannual management plans. Differences of opinion over the legal bases for the anchovy and horse mackerel recovery plans divide the EP and the Council. The Presidency will do all in its power to find a solution that is acceptable to all parties. Fazekas noted that the Council has asked the Commission to withdraw its proposal on the anchovy plan and to replace it with another. The Commission is expected to bring forward management plans for Baltic salmon and pelagic species in the near future. Fazekas stated that he would take account of the interaction between pelagic species: cod (predator), herring and sprat (prey). A balance between these species had to be found, he said.
Among other issues demanding attention are the extension of the transition period for certain technical measures in the North Sea (the period runs out in March!), fishing effort in western waters and the possible renewal of the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement. On this last point, the Presidency is awaiting the Commission's proposal and is aware of the critical stance adopted by the EP over the Western Sahara issue (Morocco has been asked to demonstrate that the agreement is of benefit to local communities). The EP has also to give its verdict on the EU-Chile swordfish agreement. The Council backs the agreement, but the EP fisheries committee does not.
Antonello Antinoro (EPP, Italy) said the Hungarian Presidency discourse “provides us with hope”. In the past, farmers were poor and fishermen rich. At present the opposite is the case, he said. It was a pity that the fisheries sector was becoming poorer. What, he asked Fazekas, did he intend to do to make fishermen once again real heads of businesses?
Ulrike Rodust (S&D, Germany) noted that Hungary was taking account of environmental concerns and asked the minister for more information on his work programme.
Pat the Cope Gallagher (ALDE, Ireland) reminded everyone that the fisheries committee had voted against the agreement with Chile (by 15 votes to five) and hoped that progress could be made in this area. He also raised the issue of the regionalisation of fisheries decision-making (as part of the debate on reform of the CFP).
The long-term sustainability of stocks must be the priority of priorities, argued Isabella Lövin (Greens/EFA, Sweden). She quoted figures: 72% of the planet's surface is water, and the EU has the world's second largest fishing fleet. Of the fish eaten in Europe, 70% is imported from outside the EU. “We have a major responsibility as to the way in which this fish is caught throughout the world”, she said, and the EU had to have a presence in regional organisations to promote efforts to tackle illegal fishing, she went on. She called on the Presidency to bring forward initiatives (such as conferences on issues like discards and the marine environment) and to ensure cooperation between EU fisheries and environment ministers. She claimed, too, that more had to be done to ensure that the EP has access to information.
Marek Józef Gróbarczyk (CRE, Poland) stressed the importance of the future of the Baltic Sea. Flat fish should not be forgotten, he opined.
João Ferreira (GUE/NGL, Portugal) asked what the Presidency intended to do on stabilising the fish products market and maintaining a decent income for fishermen.
In his answers, Fazekas said inter alia that fishing quotas had to be respected, and ways had to be found to ensure “the stability, and even the development, of the fisheries sector”. On discards (which can amount to one third of catches), “we have to look at the selectivity of fishing gear because fishermen do not like throwing fish they cannot market back into the sea”, the minister said, speaking of “a very serious problem”. This is an issue that it will be impossible to avoid in discussions on the reform of the CFP. A conference on this very issue is scheduled for May, the Presidency said. The EU-Morocco fisheries agreement was coming to an end, but the Presidency was awaiting a proposal from the Commission. The Presidency will stress respect for human rights, the Hungarian minister stated. (L.C./transl.rt)