Brussels, 12/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - France is calling for a limited quota to be set in place from the second half of 2007 for a period of three months for anchovy fishing in the Bay of Biscay, French Fisheries Minister Michel Barnier announced in a press release on Thursday 12 July. It was specified that reopening of fishing activity would be accompanied by a specific control and observation system.
The above announcement was made the day after a dinner in Madrid between Mr Barnier and his Spanish counterpart, Elena Espinosa, which failed to produce an agreement on this subject that divides the two countries. France calls for activity, banned since July 2006, to be resumed while Spain prefers to follow the advice of European scientists who recommend that fishing should remain closed in order to protect the stock that is having difficulty replenishing itself (EUROPE 9459). The European Commission believes reopening must be facilitated by a preliminary agreement between France and Spain, the French fisheries minister says. The European Commission, which had announced its intention to await a possible agreement between Paris and Madrid before taking a final decision, is expected to take a clear stance on this issue, within a timeframe that has not yet been fixed. France takes the view that “consultation on partial fisheries opening is now underway with the European Commission to seek an agreement that would allow professionals of the fishing sector to carry out their activity while protecting resources”.
French Prime Minister François Fillon, discussed this matter with the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso on 11 July. “Mr Barroso explained that the Commission would examine the new elements put forward by France in the light of scientific proof”, the Commission spokesman said, adding that a “preliminary to any change in the situation is naturally scientific analysis”. In other terms, the suggestions made by France on partial reopening of anchovy fishing should be looked at by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF). The Commission would then be able to take a decision. (lc)