Brussels, 19/12/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, Commissioner Franz Fischler presented Fisheries Ministers from Member States with a proposal for a new fishing effort system in western waters. This is intended to take into account the expiry on 31 December of the access provisions to resources when Spain and Portugal join the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) on 1 January. The Commission is therefore aiming to revise certain provisions in the current treaty (that dates from 1995), particularly on those limiting the number of Spanish boats allowed to fish in the Irish Box. The proposal intends to get rid of all discriminatory measures between Member States that are based on nationality, while avoiding an increase in fishing effort.
Mr Fischler explained to Ministers that this proposal consisted in finding a temporary solution in order to avoid conflicts between fishermen and the inspecting authorities. Ireland expressed its strong reservations and requested that the current system continues to be integrally applied. Spain considered that this proposal would finally allow a discriminatory situation to be eliminated and insisted that management resources were shared out fairly. The examination of this proposal will be continued by the Permanent Representatives Committee. The main elements in the proposal are as follows:
List of boats allowed to fish: the proposal foresees that Member States establish lists of vessels flying their flag, which are allowed to fish in the fishery zones. Contrary to the existing list and to avoid an increase in fishing effort this list will be limited to vessels which, during the period 1998-2002, exercised fishing activities in these fisheries. Each Member State can replace vessels on this list on the conditions that there is no increase in capacity.
Measures for pelagic fisheries: the Commission will introduce maximum fishing effort levels applicable to Member States for pelagic species on the basis of the fishing effort exerted during the period 1998-2002. The Commission preferred this approach rather than fixing a limited number of vessels allowed to fish in the Irish Box. The evolution of certain pelagic fisheries calls for a limitation to the effort in order to avoid over overfishing, explained the Commission.
Measures for demersal fisheries: Member States will have to assess the levels of fishing effort exerted during the period 1998-2002 in each area or sub-area, taking into account the fishing opportunities available in 2003. On the basis of this information, the Council will fix the maximum fishing effort for each Member State and each fishery, in relation to the data communicated to the Commission by Member States. Management of the effort for each fishery will be carried out according to the same methods used in previous periods (type of fishing gear, species fished for and the different areas for fishing effort). The level of fishing effort thus defined, will also take into account fisheries evolution and the level of activities of Member States since 1996; these will form the basis of future fishing effort management in the Atlantic.
Conditions for exercising certain fishing activities: the Commission foresees the maintenance of the access limitations to the waters of some outermost regions of the Community (Azores, Canaries, and Madeira). The access of tuna fishing vessels will be excluded, except under common agreements with Spain and Portugal. Until the assessment and definition of new access rules by the Commission in 2003, the present regime swill keep access limitations on the basis of the status of outermost regions (Article 292, paragraph 2 of the EC Treaty.
Adaptation of the Fishing effort Control Regime: The proposal foresees the maintenance of monitoring and control measures, previously established in the Title II bis of the Regulation (EC) No. 2847/93. However, certain new measures have been modified to take into account the expiry of the access to waters and resources regimes, established in the Act of Accession of Spain and Portugal
The urgent need to set up a legal security situation has been taken on board and the Commission had called on the Council to take action as soon as possible and request that the emergency procedure for consultation with the European Parliament is applied.