Brussels, 26/01/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the members of the parliamentary committee on fisheries supported the Commission's plans to send EU fishing boats to Asian countries whose fishing sector was wiped out by the tsunami which struck on 26 December last year. After the agreement of principle returned on Monday by European fisheries ministers (EUROPE of 25 January, p.8), the Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Joe Borg, told MEPs of the Commission's intentions to present a proposal in early February allowing compensation to be granted to fishermen whose boats (earmarked for demolition under the policy to reduce fishing capabilities) will be bought up and given, free of charge, to their counterparts in the affected countries.
According to Mr Borg, the European Parliament would be able to approve this proposal at the February or March plenary. During a short debate, Struan Stevenson (EPP-ED, UK) and Carmen Fraga Estevez (EPP-ED, Spain), who supported the Commission's plans, stressed that the EU's support should focus on small-scale fishing. Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PES, Spain), who is also in favour of European boats being sent to stricken areas, spoke in favour of the refurbishment of the homes of fishermen in these countries. Only Carl Schylter (Greens/EFA, Sweden) echoed the view of various NGOs that direct financial support would be more effective than sending boats, as “local populations mainly used unmotorised boats”.
According to data of the FAO (UN Food and Agriculture Organisation), over 7,500 fishermen lost their lives, 5,600 are missing and some 80% of boats were destroyed in Sri Lanka alone. In Indonesia, the tsunami killed two-thirds of fishermen in Banda Aceh, the capital of the worst-hit province, and a thousand fish-farms were lost in this region. In the province of Naggroe Aceh Darussalam, which is home to 42,000 fishing families, 70% of the fishing fleet was decimated. On the coast of the Indian State of Andhra Pradesh, 300,000 fishermen lost their livelihoods and 2,000 boats were destroyed. In Thailand, the tsunami caused 38 million euros' worth of damage to the fishing and aquaculture sector.