Brussels, 16/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament (EP), meeting in Strasbourg on Thursday 16 February has called for a solution to be found to the legal problem that is preventing multi-annual management plans for a number of fish stocks from being adopted. With its adoption of a resolution (preceded by a debate) on the multiannual plan for the western stock of Atlantic horse mackerel, the EP said that the Council “cannot reserve for itself the power to adapt unilaterally the parameters defined in the proposal for setting the total allowable catches, as they are key components of the proposed long term plan”.
MEPs are of the view that multi-annual plans are fundamental conservation tools establishing general provisions necessary for the pursuit of the objectives of the common fisheries policy (CFP) and must, therefore, be adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure, in accordance with Article 43(2) of the Treaty. In its first reading position on the horse mackerel plan, the EP introduced some flexibility for the Council in the way the amount of fish that could be taken was calculated, in accordance with the scientifically-based harvesting rules, “with the aim of facilitating a compromise solution and contributing to a constructive and positive approach regarding this legislative proposal”.
Breaking the deadlock. MEPS state that the current inter-institutional deadlock must be resolved for the benefit of a sustainable fish stock and to allow fishing operators better forward planning of their activities. They urge the Commission to take more initiatives to foster political dialogue between the three institutions with a view to clarifying their respective roles in the decision-making process and at addressing the issue of the future architecture of multi-annual management plans. The EP calls on the Commission to act swiftly, as indicated and promised on several occasions, in order to prevent other inter-institutional blockages in relation to future long-term management plans. The Council is asked to submit its position on the proposed multi-annual plan for western stock of Atlantic horse mackerel in order to allow the Parliament to start its second reading and make progress on this matter.
Western horse mackerel. The EP underlines that the objective of the plan is to maintain the biomass of western horse mackerel at a level that ensures its sustainable exploitation, and to provide the highest long-term yield. The Parliament believes that the harvest control rule should be based in equal parts on precautionary advice and on recent total allowable catches, adjusted by a factor that reflects the recent trend in the stock abundance as measured through egg production. It states that the harvest control rules are core elements of the multi-annual plans that must be decided under the ordinary legislative procedure. (LC/transl.rt)