Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the 'Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) introducing arrangements for the management of fishing effort in the Baltic Sea` (97/C 133/07)

On 10 January 1997 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Articles 43 and 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal.

The Section for Agriculture and Fisheries, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 6 February 1997. The rapporteur was Mr Kallio.

At its 343rd plenary session of 26 and 27 February 1997 (meeting of 26 February), the Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 95 votes, with no dissenting votes and four abstentions.

1. Commission proposal

1.1. Under the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, provision is made for arrangements governing access to the waters specified in the Act. These arrangements will continue to apply during a transitional period ending on the date of implementation of the Community fishing permit system and not later than 31 December 2002.

1.2. The aim is to introduce a system for the management of fishing effort in the areas of the Baltic Sea falling under the sovereignty or within the jurisdiction of the Member States with effect from 1 January 1998, whereupon the transitional period will terminate.

1.3. Under these arrangements, Member States are required to carry out a posteriori monitoring of the fishing effort deployed by Community vessels in the Baltic Sea. This monitoring is to be effected through the issue of special fishing permits by the Member States. The permits will authorize access to waters and will facilitate the regulation of fishing effort and the collection of data on fishing effort by Community vessels.

1.4. The Council will continue to set total allowable catches for the various species and allocate quotas in accordance with Article 8(4) of Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 of 20 December 1992 establishing a Community system for fisheries and aquaculture. The Council may set new levels for fishing effort in accordance with the procedure laid down in the regulation.

2. General comments

2.1. The condition of stocks in the Baltic Sea fisheries is fairly good. However, Member States and other countries in the Baltic region have large fleet capacities in the Baltic Sea.

2.2. Fishing activities in the Baltic Sea have been subject to common rules since 1974 under the auspices of the International Baltic Sea Fishery Commission (IBSFC), and a common approach should be retained in any further regulation of fishing effort in the Baltic Sea.

2.3. The Committee would point out that the Commission proposal is based on the principles of the Community system of special fishing permits.

2.4. In the view of the Committee, the Commission should ensure that the introduction of the system of special fishing permits does not lead to overfishing of stocks of the target species in the Baltic Sea. In addition, the Commission should provide Member States with guidance and advice regarding the application of the special permit system and the collection of data.

2.5. The Committee feels that the Commission should, when deciding on new levels for fishing effort, take into account the principles laid down in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as well as scientific data on the need to regulate fish stocks in the Baltic Sea.

2.6. The Commission should promote research on the estimation of catches at different levels of fishing effort for the various species in cooperation with the IBSFC and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).

3. Specific comments

3.1. In the view of the Committee, the Commission should work together with the IBSFC and the ICES to ensure that all countries which fish in the Baltic Sea introduce the system of special fishing permits at the same time and at the earliest possible opportunity.

3.2. The Committee proposes that Article 5 be amended to read as follows:

'.... acting in accordance with Article 8(4) of Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 and the procedure laid down therein ....`

3.3. The Committee would underline that all vessels engaging in fishing activities in the Baltic Sea must adopt the new levels for fishing effort as provided for in Article 5 at the same time.

3.4. The Committee endorses the proposal that the Regulation apply to vessels of more than 15 metres between perpendiculars.

Brussels, 26 February 1997.

The President of the Economic and Social Committee

Tom JENKINS