Brussels, 31/08/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament's fisheries committee is calling for changes to the 2003 rules on fishing for shark which, in general terms, do not allow fins removed from the body of the animal to be kept on board, transferred or landed. Current rules permit shark fins to be marketed, provided that: - the vessel obtains a fishing licence and makes use of the entire catch (bodies and fins); the weight of the fins does not exceed 5% of the weight of the carcase of the shark. The draft report by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PES, Spain), adopted by the Parliamentary committee on 28 calls on the European Commission to revise this 5% ratio upwards, particularly with regard to the blue shark, which accounts for 80% of catches (see EUROPE 9103). Spanish and Portuguese vessels say they experience difficulty in respecting this ratio which, they claim, does not correspond to the morphology of the blue shark. The European Commission, however, in its last report, saw no reason to amend the legislation. The EP will examine the report at its plenary session from 25 to 28 September.