EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 84/517

(2004/C 84 E/0594)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4043/03

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(12 January 2004)

Subject: Total allowable catch (TAC) and quotas for 2004

The Commission's proposal concerning the TAC and quota arrangements for 2004, based on the opinions of the ICES, entails significant reductions in the TAC and quota levels for 2004 and introduces a temporary system for management of the fishing effort. These proposals would involve a reduced number of fishing days in the period February-December 2004 (51 days less), as well as substantial cuts in TAC and quota levels for such species as monkfish, Norway lobster and hake, which, should they be implemented, would have a considerable adverse socio-economic impact on the fisheries sector and the regions that depend on it. Sustainable stocks are crucial to the preservation of fishing activity, and the fishermen themselves are those most concerned by the need to preserve fish stocks. This is demonstrated by, for instance, the measures voluntarily taken by Portuguese fishermen on sardine seine fishing. Nonetheless, the Commission's apparent concern for the sustainability of the Portuguese stocks lacks credibility in the light of its recent promotion of free access for the Spanish fleet to Portuguese waters and the consequent increased fishing effort.

Can the Commission state whether it has taken due account of the specific characteristics of the Portuguese fisheries sector? What measures will it take to offset the socio-economic impact of its proposal? If the state of stocks is so critical, can the Commission explain why it is not putting forward recuperation plans, which would include the necessary socio-economic compensation from the Community budget, and, in particular, the creation of a financial mechanism to compensate income losses for the fishermen and other fisheries sector workers affected?

Can the Commission state which fishermen's and vessel owners' organisations it heard before presenting its proposal, and to what degree those organisations were involved? What measures will it take to ensure that fishermen and vessel owners are genuinely involved in the decision-making process under the CFP?

What measures will the Commission take to enhance the reliability and credibility of the relevant scientific studies, notably among scientists and fishermen? Does it not consider that a more useful measure would be to undertake a real decentralisation of the CFP in the area of resource management? What measures is it taking on the other factors which affect fish stocks, such as pollution, maritime transport, etc?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(17 February 2004)

The Commission's TAC and quota proposals are based on scientific advice concerning the long-term sustainability and the short-term catch possibilities for stocks caught by Community fishers. A common approach is used for stocks of interest to all Member States, which is based on allowing as good short-term catching opportunities as are compatible with maintaining long-term sustainability of the resources. In many cases, the Commission has proposed TACs that are higher than advised by scientists in order to maintain better short-term catch possibilities. This includes a number of stocks of interest to Portugal.

The Commission does not foresee direct financial compensation for adjustments to TACs. Longer-term financial measures are foreseen in the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance and in the Common Organisation of Markets, which provide for financial assistance for adapting the catching capacity of the fleet to the productive capacity of the resource, improvements in market stability and provisions for assistance in emergency circumstances.

During the Fisheries Council in December 2003, a political agreement was reached on the need to adopt recovery plans for southern hake and for Nephrops. The Commission foresees that the adoption of such plans will result in improved stability in the fisheries, better availability of fish, and improved catching conditions for the sectors concerned in the medium term. According to the reformed Common Fisheries Policy, when emergency measures are needed or when new recovery plans are adopted that require large short-term reductions in catches, certain additional financial subsidies may become available to the sector (Paragraph 13, Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 2369/2002 (1)).

The Commission regularly consults the fisheries sector before preparing legislative proposals. Currently these consultations are held under the auspices of the Advisory Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture (ACFA) and that Committee is responsible for establishing its participation at regional workshops that are held concerning TACs and other issues. A workshop with the industry concerning the TAC and quota regulation was held in Brussels on 28 October 2003. During 2004 decisions will be taken concerning the establishment of Regional Advisory Councils that will ensure that a wider and deeper consultation process takes place.

Regarding scientific advice on fisheries, the Commission is taking two initiatives. A new memorandum of understanding has been agreed between the Commission and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea which formally extends the scope of fisheries advice to cover environmental, ecosystem and non-fishing effects on fish stocks and specifies better the way in which fisheries advice should be formulated, with more emphasis on long-term issues. In parallel, the Commission is working on better organising and improving the financial support for fisheries science in the Community, as described in the Commission's Communication on improving scientific and technical advice for Community fisheries management (2).

Most of the fishery resources available to the Community are shared among several Member States, and many resources are also shared with third countries. Because of this, there are only limited opportunities for decentralising of fisheries management. In addition, Treaty obligations specify that the formulation of proposals concerning fishing opportunities form part of the exclusive right of initiative of the Commission.

The Commission's views on measures concerning management of the marine environment other than fisheries activities have been the subject of a Communication ‘Towards a strategy to protect and conserve the marine environment’ (3). The Commission envisages ‘inter alia’ the establishment of a marine policy with objectives, targets and measures for good practices involving marine habitats, including the reduction of pollution and the appropriate management of shipping practices.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 2369/2002 of 20 December 2002 amending Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 laying down the detailed rules and arrangements regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries sector, OJ L 358, 31.12.2002.

(2) OJ C 47, 27.2.2003.

(3) COM(2002) 539 final.