Brussels, 03/02/2004 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday the European Commission tabled a proposal to ban the use of bottom-trawled fishing gear around the Azores, Madeira and the Canaries Islands in order to protect the coral reefs. Similar restrictions currently apply to an area off the north-west of Scotland known as the Darwin Mounds.
The Commission explained that bottom trawling is currently banned in the areas concerned under the rules governing access to the so-called 'western waters',...