Brussels, 01/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 31 March, the European Parliament fisheries committee unanimously voted for hundreds of amendments to the proposal on reinforcing controls to fishing activities. The compromise amendments passed allow for a solution to be found on recreational fishing, the use of ship satellite surveillance systems, the electronic logbook and the landing declaration. The report by Raül Romeva I Rueda (Greens/EFA) on this dossier will be examined and voted by the European Parliament on Friday 24 April, in Strasbourg. Discussions at a Council working group level have been very difficult. European fisheries ministers are expected to have an initial debate on this dossier during their June meeting.
The rapporteur explained to EUROPE that he was “very happy” with the committee vote, even though certain improvements are planned. He particularly welcomed: the draft to include boats of between 10-15 metres in the satellite navigation system, with a cut-off date of 1 July 2013; the vote of one of his amendments to prevent boats that have committed serious infringements to the common fisheries policy (CFP) from receiving public aid; the compromise found on recreational fishing; the strengthening of provisions ensuring better distribution of responsibilities between fishermen, the Commission, member states and the fisheries control agency. Romeva also had regrets over: the withdrawal of the control regulation from provisions on the closing down in real time of fishing zones; the refusal of amendments to give the public access to certain information about catch volumes and the kinds of fishing a boat is authorised to carry out.
In a press release, the rapporteur stated: “I am disappointed that our proposals to implement a new reduction programme for the European fishing fleets and to improve product traceability were not adopted” by the EP fisheries committee. The Greens/EFA Group will continue to defend its ideas through amendments to be submitted during the plenary session.
Recreational fishing. The British and Swedish attacked the Commission project to put quotas on certain catches from sport or recreational fishing. The compromise obtained is as follows: “Within two years of the date of entry into force of this Regulation, member states shall estimate the impact of recreational fisheries conducted in their waters and submit the information to the Commission. The relevant member state and the Commission, on the basis of the advice of the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, shall decide which recreational fisheries are having a significant impact on stocks…Recreational fisheries shall comply with the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy”. In the compromise amendments we can also read that where a recreational fishery is found to have a significant impact, catches shall be counted against the relevant quota of the flag member state. The marketing of catches from recreational fishing shall be prohibited except for philanthropic purposes
The fisheries committee supports the proposal for giving the Commission powers: to close a fishery when a member state's quota or a total authorised catch is exhausted. The Commission should also be empowered to deduct quotas and refuse quota transfers or quota exchanges to ensure that member states achieve CFP objectives. The EP fisheries committee is opposed to the Commission having: its own initiative to reduce member state quotas or to refuse quota exchanges. As well as adopting an amendment from Carmen Fraga Estévez (EPP-ED, Spain), the fisheries committee has restricted emergency measures (like the closure of endangered fish species) by the Commission to six months (instead of a year as contained in the original proposal). Commission provisions on administrative sanctions (expected to be between €5,000 and €300,000) and the setting up of a penalty points system have been confirmed by the EP fisheries committee. (L.C./transl.rh)