Brussels, 11/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - At the meeting of EU agriculture and fisheries ministers in Luxembourg on Thursday 14 April, five countries will set out joint ideas for developing the potential of aquaculture.
Ahead of the forthcoming reform of the common fisheries policy (CFP) the landlocked countries that are Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg and Slovakia are intent on drawing attention to their common priorities in freshwater aquaculture and inland fisheries, and have adopted a joint statement. This statement highlights the potential of aquaculture and requests, in particular: - an increased share of freshwater aquaculture in the new financial framework compared with the present European Fisheries Fund (2007-2013); - improved promotion of freshwater aquaculture products as an alternative to endangered marine fisheries resources and at the same time as environmentally friendly production; - improved support for applied research, including testing of new products and new technologies; - focus on the needs especially of small aquaculture and fishery enterprises; - special emphasis on simplification and harmonisation of administrative and financial measures; - support for fish farmers in finding common solutions to veterinary and disease control issues.
The statement highlights the need for a clear distinction between marine fisheries and inland fisheries and calls for a European solution to the problem of invasive species, such as cormorant, which cause serious damage in fish farms.
Review of fishing effort management in western waters. Elsewhere, on Thursday, ministers will have an exchange of views on a Commission communication on the review of fishing effort management in western waters. The Hungarian Presidency of the EU Council will organise the debate in Council around three key points, identified in discussions on the communication in the working parties: - the main arguments for retention of this fishing effort regime; - the need to update and improve current arrangements, in particular with regard to the limits for demersal stocks and the development of tools for limiting discards; - the timing for this update and the link between this review and the common fisheries policy (CFP). The western waters regime was first established in 1995 with the objective of safeguarding balances that existed at the time of the full integration of Spain and Portugal into the CFP, and avoiding an increase in fishing effort compared with levels prior to this integration. This effort regime was updated in 2003, resulting in significant decreases in the allocation of maximum allowable effort to member states and also simplification. (L.C./transl.rt)