Brussels, 12/12/2002 (Agence Europe) - During an exchange of views, on Monday evening at the EP Committee on Fisheries, Commissioner Franz Fischler announced that the European Commission will soon adopt proposals aimed at allowing Spanish and Portuguese vessels to fish from stocks in the North Sea, which are not subject to catch quotas. He also presented his strategy for recovery of cod stocks (to be adopted at the Fisheries Council next week) and gave details pertaining to Community aid in favour of fishermen, whose activities have had to cease since the sinking of the "Prestige".
The new rules for access to the waters of the North Sea are needed to take into account the expiry, from 1 January next, of the transition periods set out in the accession acts of 1985 and 1994 for Spain, Portugal and also Finland.
Mr Fischler explained that the Commission would make sure, however, that fishing pressures on stocks in these waters would remain unchanged overall.
Mr Fischler explained that in his plan for dealing with the cod crisis, the Commission had taken into account efforts made by fishermen, such as the increase in the meshes on the nets and the scuppering of 180 boats on the North Sea Coasts. The Commission explained that that was why they had presented it to their scientific and technical committee rather than the moratorium and that the improved replenishment plan had been warmly received. He also illustrated the main guidelines contained in his proposals: in the framework of the proposals on TAC and quotas for 2003, the total quantity of catches in the North Sea will be reduced to 16,800 of cod, 31,600 tons of haddock, 10,440 tons of whiting, 60,000 tons of plaice and 16,000 tons of sole; the regulation on fishing effort will be simplified by way of regulation by groups of boats; Member States will have to communicate data on fishing effort each month; inspection authorities will have to be informed when boats change fishing zone. Mr Fischler explained that in order to deal with the economic and social consequences of these drastic measures, the Commission will co-finance compensatory aid through FIFG funds for the temporary halt on activities and job retraining. He also made an urgent appeal to Member States to meet their responsibilities and introduce more social measures into their programmes. He judged the behaviour of certain MEPs, who declared that cod and stocks were exhausted, as "irresponsible", lobster stocks were increasing (just as had happened in Canada). The Commission also provided information on the aid that the EU could supply to compensate fishermen affected by the consequences of the sinking of the Prestige: 16,500 people affected who had to interrupt their activities because of the oil slick will receive aid from the Fishing Structural Funds (FIFG) to compensate them for loss of income; the Community will fund compensation for damages to aquaculture and shellfish breeding by way of FIFG funds (acquisition of new equipment, water purification and reconstruction of damaged installations, greater flexibility into the interoperation of FIFG rules, the EU will finance collective measures for cleaning shellfish breeding zones; the Commission will aid the Spanish government in redistributing FIFG aid; a proposal will be adopted allowing shellfish breeders to be compensated.