# CE2004078EN.01083001.xml

| 27.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 78/830 |
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27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 78/830

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(2004/C 78 E/0883)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3581/03

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(5 December 2003)

Subject:   Shrimp fishing in Svalbard

Subject:

Svalbard shrimp fishing by the Community fleet is seriously impeded by the obligation that no more than four EU fishing fleet units be present at any one time. This practice has been imposed for some years, and there is thus a danger that it will become established, with all the negative consequences it presupposes for the Community fleet, which is unable to take up the full fishing effort allocated to it yearly (519 days). In addition, this limitation is imposed in the brief months in which access can be had to the region, due to the adverse weather conditions which prevail there for most of the year. The Commission's reply of 8 May 2002 to my previous Written Question E-1037/02 (1) stated that it was fully aware of the problems which the situation of the Svalbard shrimp fishery posed for the Member States concerned, and that it would ‘continue to endeavour to engage the Norwegian authorities in a dialogue, which will lead to improved access conditions for the Community shrimp fleet’. No progress whatever has been forthcoming, and certain Community fleets, e.g. the fleet working in NAFO, have seen their catches seriously reduced, which means that an additional effort to find alternatives is called for.

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Can the Commission tell me why there have been no improvements in the situation of the Community shrimp fleet?

Given that the fishing effort is already limited by the number of vessels, can the Commission not negotiate the abolition of the ‘at any one time’ obligation, or simply not accept it?

Do the EU's bilateral relations with Norway not permit of a reasonable improvement of the situation for our shrimp fleet?

What steps has the Commission taken to improve the presence of the Community shrimp fleet in Svalbard?

What new steps is it intending to take so as to improve the current situation which, from any point of view, is unsatisfactory?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(26 January 2004)

(26 January 2004)

The question of improved access conditions for the Community shrimp fleet fishing in the Svalbard area has been discussed with Norway on several occasions and most recently at a high level meeting in March 2003.

Norway is not willing to consider an increase in fishing days but has indicated that they could consider an increase in the number of vessels allowed in the area at the same time. However, they link such an increase in the number of vessels with, for them, a satisfactory solution to a number of other outstanding issues, including improved conditions for Norwegian export of shrimp to the Union.

The Commission has agreed with Norway to have a high level meeting again in principal in June 2004 to continue the dialogue and to find among other issues a satisfactory solution to the access problems for Community vessels fishing shrimp at Svalbard.

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(1)  OJ C 229 E, 26.9.2002, p. 172.

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