Brussels, 17/10/2005 (Agence Europe) - At the plenary on Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a report by Zdzislaw Kazimierz Chmielewski (EPP-ED, Poland) on the draft Council regulation on the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures in the Baltic Sea, the Belts and the Sound. European Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg said he agreed with practically all the amendments set out in the report, including the amendment calling for a study of using driftnets on the sea mammal population by 1 January 2008. But Borg said he could not accept the timetable for scrapping driftnet fishing in the Baltic (1 January 2008 onwards with exemptions for certain species until 2010). The European Parliament's report bans the use of drift fishing gear (for cod) without Bacoma or T-90 exit windows. The Commission unveiled the initial draft in March 2005 (see EUROPE 8912). The draft legislation is currently being examined by the Council's fish working group before reach the negotiating table at the EU Fisheries Council, possibly before the end of the year.