WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2987/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Ecological disaster in the Mediterranean caused by mutated seaweed
Date: 1997-10-01
Institutions: European Parliament, KAKLAMANIS
Subjects: Mediterranean Sea, algae, marine life, natural disaster, plant propagation, protection of animal life, protection of plant life

16. 4. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 117/123

The Union has unequivocally condemned the Fatwa against Salman Rushdie. This issue, as well as the trial of
Faradj Sarkouhi and the return of the Member States(cid:146) ambassadors to Tehran, are currently being discussed in the
framework of the common foreign and security policy.

(98/C 117/156)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2987/97

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(1 October 1997)

Subject: Ecological disaster in the Mediterranean caused by mutated seaweed

In recent years there has been rampant growth in the Mediterranean of a species of mutated tropical seaweed,
(cid:145)Caulerpa Taxifolia(cid:146), which was brought to Europe to decorate the aquarium of a zoo in Germany. The seaweed
underwent a mutation, resulting in the creation of a new species which is spreading very rapidly and resisting all
attempts to destroy it.

Wherever the weed appears, coral, sponges, crabs and any other forms of marine flora and fauna are no longer to
be found, and even fish are now disappearing. This new species of seaweed is spreading at a rapid rate, and a
massive ecological disaster is in the making in the sensitive region of the Mediterranean basin.

What action does the Commission intend to take and what measures are needed to avert the disaster which is
inevitably facing the Mediterranean?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(30 October 1997)

By using the LIFE financial instrument the Commission jointly financed an international project between 1992
and 1995 that was intended to study the problem caused by the expansion of caulerpa taxifolia seaweed in the
Mediterranean and to anticipate the subsequent developments in that area. The project was carried out by French,
Spanish and Italian teams.

In view of the outcome of that project and the uninterrupted expansion of the seaweed the Commission decided
in 1995 to grant a second instalment of LIFE funding to a project intended to involve experiments on seaweed
eradication techniques and to draw up a strategy for controlling its expansion. The project is being coordinated
by the Posidonie Scientific Interest Grouping (SIG) in Marseilles, from whom the Honourable Member will be
able to obtain more detailed information.

More particularly the Posidonie SIG held an international symposium on 19-20 September 1997 on controlling
the expansion of caulerpa taxifolia, the documentation on which is due to appear shortly.

It should be noted that although the Commission is involved in identifying this problem and in the experimental
resolution stages via the LIFE financial instrument, any structural action to be taken is the responsibility of the
Member States concerned.

(98/C 117/157)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2988/97

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(1 October 1997)

Subject: The Commission(cid:146)s report on European ports

During the European Parliament(cid:146)s consultations with the Commission and the Council on the trans-European
transport networks, the Commission gave a positive undertaking to draw up and forward to Parliament in early
1997 a report on measures to develop European ports.

Has the Commission drawn up such a document and when will it be made available to the European Parliament?