Brussels, 08/12/2004 (Agence Europe) - Further to an agreement reached in mid November at Member State expert level, the Council of the EU adopted the regulation setting guide prices for fresh and frozen marine products and the production price of yellowfin tuna (EUROPE of 19 November, p.16, for the European Commission's original proposal). These prices are used to calculate the cost price of fish which are withdrawn from the market by fishing organisations. The Community budget pays for a proportion of these operations.
For fresh products, the prices rose 2% for anchovies (1270 EUR a tonne) and mackerel, 1.5% for whiting and 1% for the common shrimp. Reductions related mostly to whole monkfish (-2.5% to 1615 EUR/t), saithe (-2% or 751 EUR/t), sole (-2% to 6613EUR/t), haddock, ling, certain types of crab, (-1.5% each), white tuna (-1%), and whole Norway lobsters (-0.5%). The current level of prices is maintained for plaice and hake. Prices for frozen products have been reduced for Illex squid (+1.5%), bream and octopus (+1%) and down for cuttlefish (-3%) and prawns (-1%). The prices of yellowfin tuna destined for the processing industry was reduced by 1% to 1207 EUR/tonne.