P6_TA(2006)0057

Common Fisheries Policy (Shetland Box and Plaice Box)

European Parliament resolution on the review of certain access restrictions in the Common Fisheries Policy (Shetland Box and Plaice Box) (2005/2190(INI))

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament entitled "Review of certain access restrictions in the Common Fisheries Policy (Shetland Box and Plaice Box)" (COM(2005)0422),

- having regard to Articles 18 and 19 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 of 20 December 2002 on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources under the Common Fisheries Policy [1],

- having regard to Article 29 of Council Regulation (EC) No 850/98 of 30 March 1998 for the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms [2],

- having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Fisheries (A6-0016/2006),

1. Notes that the Commission has now fulfilled its commitment under Article 19 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 to make an assessment of the justification for restrictions on access to waters and resources outside the 12 mile zone in relation to the Shetland Box and the Plaice Box;

2. Notes that, for a variety of reasons, the evaluations have taken considerably longer than was initially anticipated;

3. Welcomes the decision of the Commission to consult widely with the industry and with the Member States before forming an opinion on this important topic;

4. Welcomes the role of the North Sea Regional Advisory Council (NSRAC) in providing advice to the Commission on the operation and effectiveness of the Shetland Box and the Plaice Box and calls on the Commission to draw on further advice from the NSRAC in its further evaluation of the Boxes;

5. Welcomes the decision of the Commission to maintain the Shetland Box for a further three years while further evaluations of the Box are undertaken as a first step towards ensuring that the fishing communities in that region are protected by a fisheries regime which will safeguard their future as a sustainable industry;

6. Notes that the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) recommended that the Shetland Box should be kept in place;

7. Notes that the NSRAC recommended that the Shetland Box be continued pending further evaluation;

8. Considers that, should the proposed further evaluations of the Shetland Box take longer than the three-year period currently anticipated, the current regulation should remain in force, in line with the STECF advice;

9. Notes that the STECF suggested that eliminating the Shetland Box might result in some increase of fishing effort in the area and that it further noted that any such changes that could lead to an increase in fishing effort in the area should be avoided;

10. Notes that the UK and German authorities supported the retention of the Shetland Box and that the UK government has stated that changes are neither necessary nor desirable;

11. Notes that the Shetland Box is an area of importance for haddock, whiting and monkfish and that the STECF considers that this is now possibly more so than at the time when the Box was established;

12. Also notes with alarm the finding of the Commission's expert working group established to assess the effectiveness of the Shetland and Plaice Boxes that, in general, stocks of commercial interest in the Shetland Box are outside the safe biological limits, save as regards haddock and saithe;

13. Calls on the Commission to make a quantitative evaluation of the likely effects of any changes to the Shetland Box;

14. Welcomes the decision of the Commission to retain the Plaice Box and associated access restrictions pending further study;

15. Notes that the German authorities support the retention of the Plaice Box and that the UK government notes that any decision should be taken in the context of future flatfish management and the advice of the NSRAC;

16. Notes that the conservation objective of the Plaice Box is clear;

17. Calls on the Commission to conduct its review of the Plaice Box in the light of future flatfish management, including the plaice recovery plan;

18. Notes that the expert working group highlighted the socio-economic importance of the Boxes;

19. Further notes that the expert working group considered that one of the objectives of the Shetland Box is to provide protection for fisheries-dependent communities in the north of Scotland;

20. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

[1] OJ L 358, 31.12.2002, p. 59.

[2] OJ L 125, 27.4.1998, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2166/2005 (OJ L 345, 28.12.2005, p. 5).

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