Brussels, 22/09/2004 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday during an exchange of views with MEPs from the fisheries committee, Commissioner for fisheries, Franz Fischler, stated that his proposal of October 2003 on Mediterranean fish resource management measures "constituted a good decision basis". The Commission was prepared to show that it was flexible with regard to instruments to implement on the condition that the objectives were not watered down and they had recognised their validity, explained Mr Fischler who also pointed out that Parliament did not have any time to lose, given the urgency of the problems that needed solving in this area. He also wanted a constructive debate with the Commission to begin on the existing proposal.
Fischler pointed out that Maurizio Chimino, Director General of the Sicilian fishing industry had sounded the alarm by illustrating a sharp fall in the stock and volume of the catches, which had fallen by 30% over the last few years in the Mediterranean. To meet the losses in jobs and income, the Italian fleet is putting forward more co-ownership proposals with countries like Tunisia, Senegal and Morocco. According to the Commissioner, this involves a solution for the big boats but not for the thousands of small family businesses. He warned that they had to respond urgently before reacting to the criticism of the proposal.
The fisheries sector has not been sufficiently consulted: Fischler outlined that there had been four meetings with the fisheries sector (two of them before the presentation of the proposal) and a fifth would take place on 1 October.
Proposed measures are based on North Sean and Atlantic solutions: Fischler explained that the truth was diametrically opposed and planned measures had been specially conceived for Mediterranean fishing (management measures involving regional fishing are decided by Member States, which could, as part of their national plans take into account their own situations regarding fishing). He also declared that the Commission had stuck to suggestions from the sector for regulating fishing for sport and the implementation of closed zones
Scientific data is insufficient: Mr Fischler was critical of those who said that the scientific justification was not strong enough. He cited different scientific studies (notably from the General Council for the Mediterranean and the Commission's Scientific and Technical Committee, had already received "applications from Italy and France for recovery plans for regional stocks in the Mediterranean." .
The proposal would lead to economic disaster for fishermen: "I can only say that an economic disaster for families in the Mediterranean who depend on fisheries will occur anyway if we carry on doing too little or nothing at all". The best proof of this "is the current unprofitable commercial situation of many fishermen in the Mediterranean", explained the Commissioner.
Mr Fischler used the occasion to draw up a balance sheet of the last five years as Commissioner for fisheries (CFP). He explained that for carrying out the reform (from 2002), an ambitious reform, with far-reaching decisions coupled with "a realistic view of the changing conditions underlying our fisheries policy. Thus the idea of environmental, economic and social sustainability has become the core of our fisheries policy". He also explained that "we are currently helping overfished stocks to recover and maintaining other stocks at a stable level" and had adopted two recovery plans for cod and northern hake and proposed others for southern hake and Norway lobster, and for sole in the Bay of Biscay and the Western Channel.
To bring our fleet policy up to scratch, we have replaced the ineffective multi-annual guidance programmes with the new entry-exit regime. He explained that "At last we will be able to strike a balance between the fleet and available fishery resources, and thus put an end to the cutthroat competition in coastal regions". The abolition of public aid for the construction of new fishing vessels, which comes into effect at the end of the year, will also help to achieve this.
To enable them to put their reformed policy into practice, in July the Commission proposed a new European Fisheries Fund 2007-13 (EUROPE 16 July 2004). The Commissioner explained that, "Just like our reformed CFP, the Fund is also environmentally, economically and socially sustainable. Socially sustainable because fishermen affected by recovery plans will receive greater support. Environmentally sustainable because, among other things, we will provide financial support for converting to more environmentally friendly gear. And economic sustainability will be provided by us offering assistance to improve economic conditions in coastal communities".