Brussels, 05/10/2004 (Agence Europe) - On 30 September a proposal to extend the ban on trawling in Polish waters was adopted. Poland's accession required an amendment to the Community regulation of 18 December 1997, which set out technical measures for protecting fish resources in the Baltic, the Belts and the Sound (the ban applies for trawling in part of these waters).
Since 1991, the International Baltic Sea Fisheries Commission (IBSFC) is imposing a ban on trawling on the Oderbank Plateau in order to protect spawning turbot and other juvenile flatfish. The trawling ban was implemented for the waters of the Community of 15 Member States in the Council Regulation of 18 December 1997 (mentioned above). Since the accession of Poland to the European Union the Regulation also applies to Polish waters. The proposal therefore aims to extend the ban zone to include part of the Oderbank as well, which is in Polish waters.