Brussels, 27/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - The parliamentary committee for fisheries adopted the report by David Casa (EPP-ED-Malta) last week. This initiative amends the proposal on the new European fund for fishing, adding more aid to it, particularly in the area of renewing and modernising boats. The European Parliament will be debating this report on 5 July in the plenary. The Council pointed out that that “fisheries” did not reach an agreement on the case during the meeting of 20-21 June (EUROPE 8974).
On boat withdrawal, the Commission proposes public aid for demolishing boats or reconverting them into non-profit concerns. MEPs say public subsidies should be authorised not only for demolishing boats and/or their conversion to other activities but also for creating joint ventures or exports (on the condition that boats are no longer used for fishing). The report includes funds for financing aid for boats ending their activities. Funding fishing equipment: the EP fisheries committee amended the proposal so aid can be granted to replace boats that are on average less than 12 metres long and trawlers that are more than 20 years old and whose safety is in question
In the spirit of the reform of December 2002, the Commission proposal does not include aid for renewing the fleet. Another amendment stipulates that investment in aquaculture should concern all the links in the chain of production, including building new installations and the extension, equipment and modernisation of existing production installations and shell fish barges, particularly in view of expanding production of species that have good market prospects. On the subject of sustainable development of areas for coastal fishing, MEPs rejected the proposal to limit intervention of funds to municipalities of more than 100,000 inhabitants. In order to aid young fishermen, the parliamentary committee includes the payment of individual premiums to those under 35 - if they can prove that they have worked for at least five years (or have an equivalent qualification) - and who for the first time become owners or joint owners of a second-hand trawler.