[autom.vertaling] Resultaat van Landbouw/de Raad van de Visserij van Oktober 2003 (en)

Fisheries

Management of fishing effort relating to certain Community fishing areas and resources and modifying Regulation (EEC) no 2847/93 (« Western Waters »)

The Council adopted the Commission proposal tabled last December on the establishment of a revised fishing effort regime in the so-called "western waters" which extend from the Atlantic waters around the Canary Islands and the Azores to the north and north-west of Ireland and the UK. This was the fourth time that the proposal was discussed by Ministers as a number of issues still had to be resolved. In the end, compromise had to be made on all sides. Acknowledging the efforts made by the Member States concerned, Commissioner Fischler said: "The western waters Regulation has always been a very difficult issue to negotiate. No single Member State is happy with all the elements in this package. This is not surprising, otherwise it would not have been balanced. However, Spain and Portugal have now been fully integrated into the CFP, all rules that could be considered as discriminatory have been abolished and from now on, EU measures will apply equally to all."

The aim of the new regime is twofold: first, it legally brings to an end the discriminatory restrictions on access following the full integration of Spain and Portugal into the Common Fisheries Policy; second, by revising and updating the limitations on fishing effort and other management measures, the regime will ensure that there are neither increases in fishing effort in the areas concerned nor major shifts of effort between areas, affording continued protection to the fish stocks concerned.

The main components of this new regime relate to:

• The establishment of limitations in fishing effort deployed on demersal fisheries (species living close to the sea floor, including Norway lobster and shrimp) as well as on fisheries for scallops, edible crab and spider crab within major fishing areas (based on ICES and CECAF sub-areas) (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea and Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic). Fishing effort levels will be calculated for each area by assessing the effort expended by the vessels that prosecuted the relevant fisheries as an annual average over the period 1998 2002. Member States will have to provide lists of the vessels of 15 metres or more involved in these fisheries over the reference period. They may subsequently amend these lists as long as changes do not result in an increase in fishing effort.

  The fishing effort of vessels of 15 metres and under will be assessed globally for each fishery and area over the period 1998 - 2002. Member States will have to allocate the level of fishing effort in each defined area in each of the fisheries concerned. For stocks subject to recovery plans, provisions in the relevant plan which are more stringent than those under this regime will apply.

• The creation of a biologically sensitive area to the south-west of Ireland where a specific fishing effort regime will apply (see attached map). Member States will assess the fishing effort deployed in this area by vessels of 10 metres or over as an annual average of the period 1998 2002, for demersal fisheries as well as scallop, edible and spider crab fisheries. The fishing effort of vessels of 10 metres or under will be assessed globally for each fishery and area over the same period. Member States will allocate the identified level of fishing effort for the relevant fisheries within the areas.

• The tabling by the Commission of a report on the general regime in 2006 and on the regime in the biologically sensitive area in 2008. The Council may, on the basis of these reports, decide on any necessary adjustments.

• The application of protection measures around outermost regions where Member States will be able to restrict access in the waters up to 100 miles to the vessels registered in the island ports concerned, except for EU vessels that have traditionally worked in those waters without increasing their fishing effort. The Commission will submit a report to the Council and the European Parliament in 2006 on the application of these measures and, if necessary, propose ways of adapting them. The Commission also announced that it intends to propose restrictions on bottom trawling in waters around outermost regions at least up to 200 miles to protect demersal fisheries on sea-mounts.

• The effort limitations may be adapted by the Commission in response to a documented request from a Member State. Increases in effort in a particular area or a shift between areas may be permitted in order to allow the Member State concerned to take its fishing possibilities fully where they are governed by Total Allowable Catches or to operate on fisheries that are not subject to catch limitations. The Commission will take a decision within one month of receipt of the request.

• Finally, the package contains strengthened control measures, including a hailing in and out of the biologically sensitive area applicable to all vessels over 10 metres.

Proposal for a Council Regulation concerning management measures for the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean Sea and amending Regulations (EEC) no 2847/93 and (EC) 973/2001

The Commission presented to the Council its proposal, adopted on 9 October last, on conservation measures for Mediterranean fisheries. Underlining the worrying condition of many Mediterranean fish stocks, Commissioner Fischler said that this proposal was "an important element of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy". The proposed measures, which follow directly from the EU Action Plan for sustainable fisheries in the Mediterranean, include technical and other management measures specifically adapted to the conditions of this region.

The proposal is tailored to the nature of fisheries ranging from local fish stocks exploited within the territorial waters of a single Member State, whose management will be the responsibility of the Member States concerned to shared stocks and migratory stocks, which require management at EU level or, in some cases where several countries are involved in the fishery, by Regional Fisheries Organisations.

In all events, international co-operation is an essential condition for sustainable fisheries in the Mediterranean.

More harmonised measures would benefit Mediterranean fish stocks, Mr Fischler said. This is why the possibility of a concerted approach among Mediterranean coastal states to declaring extended fisheries zones was being considered. "There has already been a great deal of support for such a move which will be further discussed at the forthcoming international conference to be held in Venice on 25-26 November." Mr Fischler said.

Annexes : Western Waters Biologically Sensitive area

Western Waters ICES Areas and CECAF Divisions

Agriculture

Reform of cotton, olive oil and tobacco

The Council discussed the reform package proposed by the Commission in September.

"The Commission proposals for cotton, olive oil and tobacco have one objective. Making these sectors sustainable in economic, ecological and social terms", Mr Fischler said.

Cotton

"One issue concerns the 60% de-coupling we propose. Let me assure you that the possibility of leaving up to 40% of the payments coupled has been carefully chosen. It results in an aid per hectare for the maximum proposed area which, added to the revenue coming from the value of the product, will still permit the cultivation of cotton with gross margins comparable to alternative crops. A higher degree of decoupling could result in the disappearance of this crop in regions where it plays a significant role from a social, economic and agricultural point of view. Conversely, a significantly higher level of aid per hectare would encourage an increase of the areas sown with cotton, with negative consequences for the environment", the Commissioner said.

Mr Fischler further referred to the pressure made in Cancun by developing countries against the cotton subsidies in developed countries.

Olive Oil

Referring to the 60/40 partial decoupling proposed by the Commission, the Commissioner stressed that the Commission's goal was to maximise the benefits of decoupling by proposing a substantial transfer of current aids into the Single Farm Payment.

"As for cotton and tobacco, this move will result in a better market orientation of the olive sector, more stable income for farmers and increasing transparency and consumer confidence. Nevertheless, a full decoupling option would have entailed the risk of abandonment of large olive grove areas, involving dramatic environmental and social consequences. Therefore, national envelopes for the granting of a new aid for olive groves of environmental or social value are proposed.", Mr Fischler said. Producer Member States have voiced concern about the removal of export refunds for the manufacturing of certain preserved foods. "This measure is no longer justified as nowadays consumers appreciate foods with olive oil and are ready to pay an extra price for these products.

Export figures over last years confirm the Commission's view that export refunds had no effect on olive oil trade: exports have continued growing in spite of no export refund having been granted since 1998.

On the other hand, we want to maintain the possibility to trigger the private storage scheme. This should reassure producers in case of market difficulty.", he pointed out.

The reform proposals will be further discussed in the Special Committee of Agriculture (SCA).

Spanish state aids for nuts

The point was taken off the agenda given the necessary majority was not achieved.

Illegal logging

The Council adopted conclusions on "Forest law enforcement, governance and trade (FLEGT)". The conclusions support the action plan proposed by the Commission in a Communication to the Council and the European Parliament (see COM(2003)251) concerning the fight aginst clandestine exploitation of forests and the trade which is associated with. The action plan envisages cooperation between producing and consuming countries, private sector and other recipients.

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