WRITTEN QUESTION E-1508/97 by Leen van der Waal (I-EDN), Brigitte Langenhagen (PPE) and Christine Barthet-Mayer (ARE) to the Commission (30 April 1997)

Subject: Allocation of horse mackerel admissible catch totals between Member States

In answer to a previous question (E-2641/96) ((OJ C 105, 3.4.1997, p. 18.)) on mackerel and horse mackerel catches in Ireland the Commission stated that it was making inquiries concerning catch registration, landing and transshipments of these species in Ireland.

1. Can the Commission state what progress has been made with its inquiries?

2. Is there any truth in reports that the Commission intends to submit a proposal to the Council for the allocation of admissible catch totals for horse mackerel in the form of landing quotas?

3. Can the Commission state whether, and if so how, the results of the aforesaid inquiries have been taken into account in drawing up the Commission proposal on the allocation of admissible catch totals for horse mackerel between Member States?

4. Does the Commission share the view that a quota allocation to a Member State based on fictitious (large) catches in the previous year will deprive EU fisheries policy of all credibility and have a demoralizing impact on fishing crews that have stayed within their catch quotas?

5. Can the Commission state what quantities of fishmeal, fish oil and animal feed were produced by Ireland in 1995:

a) using horse mackerel and/or mackerel as primary product?

b) using fish other than mackerel or horse mackerel as primary product?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (12 June 1997)

1. The Commission's inspectors have conducted a series of on the spot missions in the Member States concerned with a view to verifying catch registration, landings and transshipments of mackerel and horse mackerel. Although these missions revealed weaknesses in monitoring catches and landings of these species, they did not provide concrete evidence for infringements of Community legislation.

In order to clarify the apparent inconsistencies between data on landings of mackerel and horse mackerel, on the one hand, and imports and exports, on the other hand, the Commission has requested all Member States involved in these fisheries to carry out detailed verifications of catches and landings in 1995 and 1996. A similar request has been addressed to Norway and the Faeroe Islands where fishing vessels are also engaged in the exploitation of mackerel and horse mackerel stocks. The Commission has requested the Member States to submit a detailed report on the results of these verifications before the end of the first half of 1997. Taking into account this report, the Commission may decide whether it is necessary to conduct an administrative inquiry.

2. The Commission has presented a proposal for a regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 390/97 ((OJ L 66, 6.3.1997. )) fixing, for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, the total allowable catches for 1997 and certain conditions under which they may be fished ((COM(97) 135 final. )). This proposed an allocation to Member States of fishing possibilities for horse mackerel. The Council has not yet adopted the quotas for Member States.

3. The proposal is based on the official catch figures of horse mackerel transmitted by the Member States concerned and takes account of the fact that the fishery for horse mackerel is an established fishery and that fishing opportunities will reflect historical patterns of fishing activities for each Member State, as shown by the mean catch over a recent and representative period (1992-1996).

This proposal cannot reflect results of the inquiries addressed to the Member States in question as the Commission has not yet been provided with the information requested. The Commission may consider the transmission of a revised proposal to the Council in the event that inquiries would demonstrate inaccuracies in the catch figures submitted by Member States.

4. Basing a quota allocation on fictitious catch records would indeed be contrary to the principles underlying the common fisheries policy. It would also have a negative impact on the enforcement of ulterior catch declarations, not to mention the discriminatory treatment that would be suffered by crews that have recorded their catches correctly. Similar qualifications may be given to the act of consciously misreporting catches.

5. The Commission has no detailed information on the quantities of mackerel and horse mackerel used for the production of fishmeal and fishoil in Ireland in 1995. The report requested from the Member States should provide an evaluation of the quantities landed on the basis of their destination including processing.