20/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - Sea bass measure disproportionate and discriminatory. French fishermen said on Tuesday 20 January that the European Commission's proposed emergency measure banning pelagic trawling for sea bass from January to April was “disproportionate and discriminatory”. The French sector has for several years been calling for sea bass to be made subject to TACs (total allowable catches) and quotas. “However, faced with the opposition of some, notably the United Kingdom, they introduced new proposals for tough management measures reducing catch effort by almost 33% compared with the 25% that closure of the pelagic trawling of sea bass on its own is likely to bring.” The Commission measure, argue the French fishermen, runs counter to the principles of consultation established in the common fisheries policy (CAP), excluding, as it does, the Council, the Parliament and the consultative committees from the discussions. (LC)