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DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(77)198
Vol.1977/0078

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(77)198 final
Brussels-16May1977
y
i
.
COMMUNICATION OFTHECOMMISSION TOTHECOUNCIL
withrespecttomultilateral cooperation onfisheries
■V:-;
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C0MC77)198final
iIv.
"V

COMMUNICATION OFTHECOMMISSION TOTHECOUNCIL
with respect tomultilateral cooperation on
fisheries
InitsCommunication of11May1977 with respect tothe
future fisheries policy ,theCommission indicated totheCouncil
itsintention tosubmit totheCouncil proposals concerning the
problems tobedealt with atthefortcoming plenary meeting (l)of
the International Commission for theNorthwest Atlantic Fisheries
(ICNAF )and theNorth-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC ).
These problems belong essentially totwocategories :the conserva­
tion andmanagement offish stocks in1978 andthefuture ofthese
fisheries organizations inview ofthe200-mile situation .
With respect tothese twocategories ofproblems ,the
Commission proposes that theCommunity adopts atthese meetings the
position defined below inthis Communication .
(1)ICNAF :31May-1^June ,OTTAWA ;NEAFC s6July -12July ,
LONDON .

z–
InitsCommunication totheCouncil of23September 1976 ,the
Commission made certain proposals astotherole oftheCommunity
insecuring international cooperation toconserve resources *The
proposals were endorsed bytheCouncil inthetexts adopted on3
November 1976 .Theposition tobetaken bytheCommunity atthe
forthcoming meetings ofICNAF andNEAFC follows from that decision .
Inview ofthedevelopments since November 1976 ,however ,theCommis –
•ionConsiders ituseful toclarify some ofthemajor implications
ofthedecision of3November 1976 asregards theposition tobe
taken bytheCommunity atthese meetings .
1.Conservation andmanagement offish stocks in1978
Asregards thefirst setofproblems {conservation andmanagement
offish stocks in1978 )«themeetings ofICNAF andNEAFC should
not adopt anyrecommendations inrelation tofisheries within
waters towhich Community rules onfishing apply .For such fis­
heries thesole tasks tobeperformed atthemeetings arethe
compilation ofscientific advice and theexchange ofinformation .
Fisheries other than inCommunity waters may bedivided into two
categories !fisheries withinthe zones ofthird States and fishe­
ries beyond the200-mile limit .Itispresumed' that only the
last-mentioned category will bethesubject ofconservation and
management measures adopted within theframework OfICNAF andNEAFC <
Such measures should benegotiated andimplemented onaCommunity
basis .This would also apply intheevent that *lion-member country
wished tohave measures adopted within ICNAF andNEAFC relating to
fishing inthe zone under itsjurisdiction .

3- " 1
2*Future arrangements
Asregards thesecond setofproblems (thefuture ofICNhFand
NEAFC ),theCommunity 'sposition should bethat thebodies tobe
established are tohave these functions :(1)toact asaforum for
consultation andtheexchange ofinformation ;(2)tomake recom­
mendations toensure theconservation andoptimum utilization of
fish resources inwaters beyond the200-mile fishing zones ;and
(3)tomake recommendations toensure theconservation andoptimum
utilization offish resources within 200-mile fishing zones ifthe
coastal State concerned sorequests and iftherecommendation re­
ceives itsaffirmative vote .Recent developments show that there
exists already alarge measure ofagreement ofthese future
functions .
Thenew organizations will come into being upon the entry into
force ofthen»w convention ,negotiated bytheCommunity assuch .
The Community should bethe sole participant inthenew convention
ontheCommunity side ,inview ofthecompetence oftheCommunity
inthis field .
Asthe entry into force ofthenew instrument will require some
time ,appropriate transitional arrangements should beadopted .
TheCommission will shortly submit adraft NEAFC Convention to'
anappropriate Working Group oftheCouncil .
3«Denunciation ofICNAF Convention
TheMember States concerned should denounce thepresent ICNAF
Convention before 30June 1977soastomaximize the flexibility 1
oftheCommunity innegotiating anewICNAF Convention andtran - !
sitional arrangements .Denunciation isalso necessary inorder
toprotect theposition oftheCommunity inbilateral negotiations .
Oooo
Thepolicy guidelines here expounded relate tothetwoorganizations
ICNAF andNEAFC .They areequally applicable toother fisheries
organizations .