WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1249/96 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Conservation of natural resources (fishing)
Date: 1996-05-23
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament
Subjects: access to information, common fisheries policy, conservation of fish stocks, database, environmental protection, fishery resources, industrial restructuring, research programme













EUR-Lex - 91996E1249 - EN






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91996E1249

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1249/96 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Conservation of natural resources (fishing)  


Official Journal C 345 , 15/11/1996 P. 0046 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1249/96 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (23 May 1996)Subject: Conservation of natural resources (fishing)Regarding the conservation of natural resources and fishing rights, the main objective of the structural measures to prevent the depletion of fishery resources, generally attributed to a combination of excess capacity and over-exploitation, is to reduce the number of fishing boats. Such measures should be accompanied by socio-economic measures to cushion the effects of the restructuring of fishing and the fishing fleet on the communities concerned as far as possible.The Community institutions and those of the Member States should therefore encourage and step up fisheries research as a matter of urgency, by promoting the dissemination of techniques and existing scientific data, collecting new data and carrying out research programmes both on fishery resources and on fishing techniques.Will the Commission coordinate the various research areas, to avoid a duplication of efforts, promoting closer coordination between the existing research institutes and creating a data bank at Community level? This would contribute to improving the overall efficiency of the system.Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (11 July 1996)The Fair programme (agriculture and fisheries, including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development), included in the fourth framework programme (1994-1998) was adopted in December 1994. The research activities in the field of fisheries and aquaculture cover the areas of impact of environmental factors on aquatic resources, ecological impact of fisheries and aquaculture, biology of species for optimization of aquaculture, socio-economic aspects of the fishing industry, improved methodology and upgrading of fishery products.Moreover the studies in support of the fisheries common policy (budgetary line B2-181) are used to a great extent to co-finance and co-ordinate the collection of basic data. This collection of basic data (catches, biological sampling, fleet dynamics) is the basis for sound fisheries research but needs to comply with some basic requirements in terms of globality and duration. Although the budgetary line increased significantly in recent years it is highly desirable that better mechanisms are introduced, which could guarantee those requirements.During recent years communications of the Commission on fisheries in the Community have covered maintenance, extension and creation of data bases appropriate to the implementation of the common fishery policy ((COM(93) 501 final. )), European fisheries research - current position and prospects ((C0M(93) 95 final. )), data base for evaluation of biological impact of fisheries ((SEC(94) 1453. )) and co-operation and coordination of the use of heavy equipment for fisheries research ((COM(95) 392 final. )).The communications have been discussed at the different levels of the Council, and the Commission has been invited to make a proposal which could help to improve the existing mechanisms.