Brussels, 03/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - Reacting to a recent European Commission report on reporting obligations under Regulation 2371/2002 on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources under the common fisheries policy (CFP), EU fishermen back bringing all European fisheries under multiannual recovery and management plans.
Adjustment of fishing capacity. Europêche and COPA-COGECA acknowledge that a certain form of “overcapacity of the fleet in the EU” still exists in relation to available resources in certain specific segments. They continue to believe, however, that the gross registered tonnage (GRT) of vessels is not a relevant measure of fishing capacity and that it has a counter-productive effect on the safety of vessels, their energy consumption and working conditions on board. Rather than only considering vessels' GRT and engine power, a distinction should be made between the active capacity, which generates fishing effort, and passive capacity, which leads to an improvement in safety and working conditions on board. Account should also be taken of the impact of the type of fishing gear used.
The two organisations take the view that current arrangements on access to waters within member states' 12 nautical mile zones should not be challenged again. (LC/transl.rt)