Brussels, 04/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - The Committee of the Regions (CoR) has delivered its response to the Commission's proposals of fishing. Local elected representatives adopted the opinion of Mieczyslaw Struk (EPP, Poland) in plenary session on Friday 4 May. The CoR is keen to see discards reduced as much as possible and, so, wants to see improvements in the selectivity of fishing gear and techniques. Discards, particularly of industrially fished species, must be phased out, the CoR goes as far to recommend. In terms of access to the resource, the CoR said it is unreasonable to require states to put in place fishing rights that can be transferred or leased out. It called for Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) to be strengthened so that local communities are consulted and, especially, so that they are involved in the management of fish resources. Sustainable fishing of stocks requires a multiannual approach to fisheries management, the Committee said, with multiannual plans that reflect the specific natures of each fishery and provide mechanisms in the event of unforeseen circumstances. (MD/transl.rt)