Brussels, 20/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 20 November, EU fisheries ministers studied a first compromise text from the Finnish Presidency on fishing quotas for deep-sea species for the next two years (2007 and 2008). Despite concessions, particularly on black scabbardfish, red bream and greater forkbeard, accepted by Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg, the Member States most involved in this fishery (France, Spain, Portugal and Poland) felt that the reductions in total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas were still too great, especially for rock grenadier, bleu ling, deep water shark and orange roughy.
With the Commission originally proposing reductions of more than 30% per year (2007 and 2008) for most of the species, stocks of which are deemed to be worrying (see EUROPE 9275), the first compromise text put to ministers in the morning allowed, in particular, for continuation of the current (2005-2006) TACs for the following: - black scabbardfish (3,042 tonnes in 2007 and the same in 2008, with 2,433t per year for France, and 173t per year for Spain and the United Kingdom for the northern stock situated to the west of the British Isles); - red bream (all zones, TACs of over 2,000t, mainly for Spain and Portugal); - greater forkbeard (all stocks of this species caught mainly by British, Spanish, French and Irish vessels). In addition, the amended draft allowed for lesser reductions (30% instead of 45% in the initial proposal) for the southern stock of grenadier (Iberian Peninsula). However, the Commission did not make any concessions on either ling blue (over 30% reduction per year), or on the northern grenadier stock (where it still proposes a 15% reduction), orange roughy and deep water shark.
During initial discussions, France, the country most involved in this fishery, Spain, Portugal and Poland felt that the new draft of the text was moving in the right direction, but did not go far enough. France called for reductions not to exceed 15% for bleu ling (the Commission stuck by its 30% annual reduction). Spain argued for lesser quotas for grenadier and shark. Portugal also stressed that some quotas for shark has to be extended. On the other hand, some Member States, such as the United Kingdom, Germany and Sweden, which supported the Commission's initial proposals, said they would not be happy with any further weakening of the measures necessary to safeguard these species.
After examining the text in the meeting, the Presidency and the Commission organised one-to-one meetings with each of the delegations in the afternoon of 20 November. The Council meeting was due to end at around 9.00p.m., after the bilateral talks, and was scheduled to restart on Tuesday 21 November to reach an agreement on quotas for deep-sea species. On 21 November, ministers are also due to try to reach a political agreement on technical measures for Mediterranean fisheries, and setting up electronic logbooks (see EUROPE 9309). (lc)