Luxembourg, 19/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, the Council of Fisheries Ministers unanimously approved the proposal for the modification of the FIFG system (Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance) allowing to extend by six months (until the end of December) the aid system for Spanish and Portuguese fisherman and ship owners, whose activities are suffering from the failure of the negotiations for the renewal of the fishing agreement with Morocco. These fishermen will thus see themselves granted an extension of EUR 50 million (June to December) on a amount of aid totalling EUR 194 million (between January 200 and December 2001). The modification of the FIFG scheme was necessary to: change the duration of the aid scheme and allow to derogate the rule according to which these aid cannot exceed 4% of the total FIFG budget allocated to a Member States (EUR 1.760 billion for Spain and EUR 235 million for Portugal over the 2000-2006 period). Commissioner Franz Fischler recalled that the proposal on the restructuring plan for the fleet in favour of these fishermen should be presented at the beginning of July.
A further two themes have been broached by the Council:
Reduction of fleet capacity: Mr Fischler presented the Ministers his proposal aiming to prorogue until 2002 the fourth generation multiannual guidance programme (POP IV) (including the efforts for reduce capacity), through an enhancement of the provisions in the FIFG regulation on the State aid to the modernisation of ships (see EUROPE of 16 June, p.12). No Minister spoke following this presentation. The French Minister, Jean Glavany, nevertheless explained to a group of journalists that he was in agreement over proroguing the POP, but that he would have preferred for this prorogation to be carried out with constant objectives so as not to anticipate the fundamental rethink required by the modification of the provision. This modification of the FIFG regulation is particularly surprising, felt Mr Glavany: on safety and working conditions (the aids will only be authorised during the increase of the fishing capacities for reasons of safety). I am not surprised that the Commission proposes to go against the flow of the growing concerns raised by these issues with professionals, he said, while adding that he found "abhorrent" to want to further harden a provision already "terribly binding".
Biological diversity: The Council adopted conclusions on the action plan in favour of biological diversity in the field of fishing, which foresees the sustainable conservation of stocks and the protection of non-targeted species and ecosystems. This plan outlines measures aiming to master fishing, improve the technical provisions, favour research and reduce the negative impact of fish farming on the environment. The Ministers: - welcome this initiative and are determined to "continue envisaging measures aimed at preserving biological diversity (…) during the next revision of the common fisheries policy: - especially underlining the importance of dedicating sufficient resources, Community and national, to marine research, the collection of data and the drafting of scientific opinions; - have agreed that it is important to continue the development of fishing machines and methods increasingly selective in terms of size and species; - invites the Commission to draft, within three years, long-term management plans for all the significant Community stocks; - recognises that it is necessary to establish risk assessment procedures before introducing exotic species and voluntarily disseminating genetically modified organisms.