Brussels, 27/11/2002 (Agence Europe) - The trilateral consultations on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), between the presidency-in-office of the Agriculture-Fisheries Council, Mariann Fischler Boel, Commissioner Franz Fischler and Member States, ended on Wednesday evening. This exercise enabled the Presidency and the Commission to analyse the stances of the delegations in view of the presentation of a proposal for a compromise, in December. Talks on the reform as well as on measures for reconstituting stocks of cod are to resume at Council level on Thursday.
The Irish Fisheries minister, Dermot Ahern, ho promised "a hell of a battle" in negotiations on the reform package of the CFP explained to the press after his talks with the Presidency and Commission that he opposed the opinion of the Council's legal services by which exemptions to the principle of free access to the "Irish Box" expired on 1 January. "If you look to impose open access, that would be going completely counter to conserving stocks", he warned, stating that his country had its own scientific opinion that contradicted that of the Council's legal services. Mr. Ahern also pleaded in favour of maintaining the preferences of The Hague (which allow British and Irish fishermen to secure larger quotas than other Member states in the North Sea and the Irish Sea). He also spoke in favour of a "voluntary" scheme for vessel demolition, but in favour of continuing until 2006 aid to the renewal and modernisation of vessels.
During the consultations, British Minister Elliot Morley also spoke in favour of maintaining the Hague Preference and for the abolition of public aid for ship renewal and modernisation of the fleet, except in certain cases, when the aim is to improve vessel security (which corresponds to the Commissions proposal). Italy called for the retention of public aid and had reservations as to the new control procedures that will be undertaken by Commission inspectors. According to that country, the presence of national inspectors must remain indispensable.
Before his meeting with the presidency and the Commission, the Spanish Minister of Fisheries, Miguel Arias Canete, called for the retention of public aid for the modernisation and renewal of ships until 2006 (in accordance with what was decided in march 1999 at the European Council of Berlin) and an end to "discriminatory" provisions regarding access to stocks and the waters of the North and Baltic Seas. Furthermore, Spain asked the Commission to provide for compensation for fishermen and wholesale fish merchants affected by the oil slick from the "Prstige". Mr. Canete stipulated that his country would like a relaxation in the provisions on the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) in such a way that money not used may be distributed for specific measures for fishermen in the north east of Spain. The Spanish minister dismissed the Commission's proposal aimed at authorising his country to re-programme the funds of Ifop provided for the temporary cessation of activity, like mobilising the solidarity fund for natural disasters, altering the structural measures of fishing (FIFG) or even other ways of Community co-operation. Mr. Canete said that, according to the latest forecasts, the Prestige disaster would affect the activity of 900 fishermen, 900 seafood fishermen and 2,500 vessels.
Mitigated reception for new measures to reconstitute cod stocks
The Commission's proposals on measures for the reconstitution of cod stocks, which were discussed at the same time as the reform package for the CFP, led to different reactions (see page 11 for the details of the Commission's strategy). Sweden said it as in favour of a ban on fishing for cod and associated species to enable the stocks to build up again. The United Kingdom, which stipulated that 75% of catches of white fish (cod, whiting, haddock) was carried out in Scottish waters, said that the measures would affect ten to twelve fishing communities in the region. Belgium and the Netherlands considered that the measures affecting plaice were to severe.