Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) allocating for 1998 catch quotas between Member States for vessels fishing in Estonian waters
Date: 1997-12-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, Estonia, authorised catch, catch quota, fishing area

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels,  12.12.1997 
COM(97) 688 final 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION  (EC) 

allocating for  1998 catch quotas between Member States 
for vessels fishing in Estonian waters 

(presented by the  Commission) 

EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

Consultations  between  the  Community  and Estonia  took place  in Brussels  on  3-4  November 
1997  and  resulted  in  an  Agreed  Record  of  conclusions  defining  a  reciprocal  fisheries 
arrangement for 1998. 

These  consultations  were  held  on  the  basis  of  the  new  Agreement  on  Fisheries  Relations 
between  the  European  Community  and  the  Republic  of  Estonia,  signed  in  Brussels  on  19 
December  1996. 

The fisheries  arrangement for  1998 provides for, inter alia, certain catch quotas for  Community 
vessels in the Estonian fishing zone in the framework  of the exchange of fishing possibilities and 
reciprocal access quotas. 

The  purpose  of  this  proposal  for  a regulation  is to  allocate  among  Member  States  the  quotas 
available in 1998 to Community vessels fishing in the Estonian zone under the above mentioned 
arrangement. 

As  a  consequence  of  the  Act  of  Accession  of  Austria,  Finland  and  Sweden  to  the  European 
Union,  in  particular  Article  121, paragraph  1, footnote  9  of  the  table,  Member  States  of  the 
Community, as constituted  before  enlargement, have been compensated  for their lower share of 
the cod stock up to the level required by the Council Declaration. 

Estonia is compensated for the quotas obtained in its waters by way of a financial contribution of 
ECU 465,467, in accordance with Article 4 of the Agreement on Fisheries Relations between the 
European Community and the Republic of Estonia. 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) 

allocating for 1998 catch quotas between Member States 
for vessels fishing in Estonian waters 

THE COUNCIL OF. THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 

Having  regard  to  Council  Regulation  (EEC) No  3760/92  of 20 December  1992  establishing  a 
Community system for fisheries and aquaculture  , and in particular Article 8 (4) thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

Whereas, in accordance with the procedure provided for in the Agreement on fisheries  relations 
between the European Community and the Republic of Estonia  , and in particular Articles 3 and 
6 thereof, the  Community  and Estonia have held consultations  concerning  their  mutual  fishing 
rights for  1998 and the management of common living resources; 

Whereas,  in  the  course  of  these  consultations,  the  delegations  agreed  to  recommend  to  their 
respective  authorities  that  certain  catch  quotas  for  1998 should  be fixed for  the  vessels  of  the 
other Party; 

Whereas  the  necessary  measures  should  be  taken  to  implement,  for  1998,  the  results  of  the 
consultations held with Estonia; 

Whereas to ensure efficient  management  of the catch possibilities available in Estonian waters, 
quotas  should  be  allocated  among  Member  States  in  accordance  with  Article  8  of  Council 
Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92; 

Whereas  the  fishing  activities  covered  by  this  Regulation  are  subject  to  the  control  measures 
provided  for  by  Council  Regulation  (EEC)  No  2847/93  of  12  October  1993  establishing  a 
control system applicable to the common fisheries policy  ; 

Whereas  additional  conditions  for  the  year-to-year  management  of  TACs  and  quotas,  in 
accordance with the provisions  laid down  in Article 2 of Council Regulation  (EC) No 847/964, 
were not agreed with Estonia; 

OJNo L 389, 31.12.1992, p. 1  Regulation as amended by the  1994 Act of Accession 
OJ No L 332,20.12.1996, p. 16 
OJNo L 261,20.10.1993, p.  1 
OJNo LI  15, 9.5.1996, p. 3 

t> 

Whereas, for  imperative reasons of common interest, this Regulation will apply from 1 January 
1998, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Article 1 

From  1 January  to  31  December  1998 vessels flying the  flag  of  a  Member  State  are  hereby 
authorized to make catches within the quota limits set out in the Annex in waters falling  within 
the fisheries jurisdiction of Estonia. 

Article 2 

The  financial  contribution  provided  for  in  Article  4  of  the  Agreement  on  fisheries  relations 
between  the  European  Community  and  the  Republic  of  Estonia  shall  be  set  for  the  period 
referred to in Article  1  at ECU 465,467, payable to an account designated by Estonia. 

Article 3 

Stocks referred  to in the Annex  shall not be subject to the conditions stipulated  in Articles  2, 3 
and 5 (2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 847/96. 

Article 4 

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official  Journal of the 
European Communities.  It shall apply from 1  January 1998. 

This  Regulation  shall  be  binding  in  its  entirety  and  directly  applicable  in  all  Member 
States. 

Done at Brussels,.... December 1997. 

For the Council 
The President 

r. 

ANNEX 

Allocation of Community catch quotas in Estonian waters for 1998 

(in metric tonnes, fresh round weight; for salmon: numbers of individual fish) 

l^^SpedéSîé *v& 

Cod 

division 

111(d) 

763 

Herring 

111(d) 

3,000 

Salmon 

111(d) 

5,400 

Sprat 

111(d) 

13,000 

£tasiâlIoc&ted 
[ember States 

Denmark 
Finland 
Germany 
Sweden 

Denmark 
Finland 
Germany 
Sweden 

Denmark 
Finland 
Germany 
Sweden 

Denmark 
Finland 
Germany 
Sweden 

•285 
120 
128 
230 

1,430 
0 
1,070 
500 

2,100 
2,020 
235 
1,045 

7,560 
0 
2,010 
3,430 

S 

FINANCIAL STATEMENT 

1. 

TITLE: 

Proposal  for  a  Council  Regulation  allocating  for  1998  catch  quotas 
between Member States for vessels fishing in Estonian waters. 

2. 

BUDGETARY LINE CONCERNED: 

B7-800 

3. 

LEGAL BASIS: 

Article 8 (4) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 

4. 

DESCRIPTION: 

4.1 

General objectives: 

• 

maintain and develop the traditional activity of Community fishermen in 
Estonian waters; 
supply the Community market; and 
decrease the fishing effort  in Community waters. 

4.2 

Period covered: 

Year 1998 

5. 

CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURE: 

5.1 

DO 

5.2 

CD 

6. 

TYPE OF EXPENDITURE: 

Financial compensation paid for fishing possibilities in Estonian waters. 

7. 

FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES: 

ECU 465,467 

The  financial  compensation  provided  for  in  Article  4  of  the  Agreement  has  been 
negotiated  on the basis of  average  landing  prices  for  1996  in  Community  ports  in  the 
Baltic  Sea. A deduction has been made for estimated  fleet  exploitation costs for  each of 
the species. 

6 

7.1  Method of calculation: 

Quota obtained (in tonnes) 

Weighted  average landing prices 
1996  (ECU/tonne) 

Market value (in ECUs) 

Negotiated  (percentage) 
In ECUs 

1,100 

908 

998,800 

25% 
249,700 

llWfflMlilirrff^-  v-¥ 

3,000 

SPRAT 

13,000 

27 
(5,400 units) 

2,284 

166.81 

84.75 

61,668 

25% 
15,417 

500,430 

1,101,750 

12.5% 
62,550 

12.5% 
137,800 

Total financial compensation (Article 4):  ECU 465,467 
Average price ECU/tonne:  27.18 

8. 

ANTI-FRAUD PROVISIONS: 

The financial contribution granted by the Community is utilised by Estonia to develop its 
fisheries  sector  in  accordance  with  Article  4  of  the  Agreement.  The  amount  is 
administered by the Estonian Fisheries Fund. 

9. 

ELEMENTS OF COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS: 

The  Community  fleet  in  the  Baltic  Sea  has  been  severely  hit  by  reductions  in  catch 
possibilities, mainly  due to  biological  factors  (low  salinity  of  the  water  and  the  M-74 
disease) and pollution  of the water. Any  increase  in fishing possibilities  above  current 
critical catch levels will contribute towards preventing the fleet, and connected industries 
and services ashore, from collapsing and disappearing. This will also avoid, to a certain 
extent, payments under lay-up schemes or social programmes. 

Experience has taught  us that the financial  compensation,  similar  to that paid  in  1997, 
has mainly been used by Estonia for the continued improvement of scientific research on 
fisheries and  the  training  of fisheries managers.  This  has  entailed  improved  scientific 
assessment and enforcement  in the fishery  zone of Estonia and has contributed to a more 
rational exploitation of the stocks, to the benefit of all concerned in the Baltic Sea. 

The expenses proposed are foreseen in the budgetary planning for the period concerned. 

10. 

ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES: 

The proposal does not require new Commission staff or additional administrative costs. 

y 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(97) 688 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

03  04  05  10 

Catalogue  number  :  CB-CO-97-710-EN-C 

ISBN  92-78-29094-7 

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