WRITTEN QUESTION No. 508/98 by Dominique SOUCHET to the Council. Prohibition on the use of driftnets
Date: 1998-02-27
Institutions: European Parliament, SOUCHET
Subjects: Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea, EU aid, EU law - national law, UN resolution, environmental impact, fishing net, fishing regulations, fishing vessel, impact study

C 323/44

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

21. 10. 98

(98/C 323/58)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0508/98

by Dominique Souchet (I-EDN) to the Council

(27 February 1998)

Subject: Prohibition on the use of driftnets

The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, a Commission expert body, has acknowledged
both the aptness of the methods chosen and the quality of the results of the study carried out in 1993 by Ifremer
(Institut  Fran(cid:231)ais  de  Recherche  pour  l(cid:146)Exploitation  de  la  Mer  ›  French  Oceanographic  Institute)  on  the
environmental impact of driftnets in the Atlantic.

In its conclusions, it merely notes that driftnet fishing requires (cid:145)close monitoring(cid:146).

Since 1993 net length has been limited to 2.5 km, the number of boats using this fishing gear has been reduced
and net technology has improved, so that it is certain that the mortality rate has greatly diminished.

In  view  of  these  developments,  does  the  Council  believe  that  it  is  reasonable  to  accept  the  Commission(cid:146)s
proposal to abolish the use of driftnets in the Atlantic (outside coastal waters)?

(98/C 323/59)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0510/98

by Dominique Souchet (I-EDN) to the Council

(27 February 1998)

Subject: Prohibition on the use of driftnets

The Council is considering changing its position on the prohibition on the use of driftnets in the Atlantic (outside
coastal waters).

On what scientific basis is  the  Commission  relying when  it  abandons its  traditional  position in  this way and
adopts that of the Commission?

It is certain that other species are accidentally caught in driftnets in the Baltic Sea. Information gathered by the
ICES shows that these include several species of birds (guillemot and razorbill) and marine mammals (seals and
porpoises). The populations of some of these species in these areas have been considerably reduced (porpoises
and common seal). In addition, the wild salmon stock in the Baltic Sea is threatened.

In light of this information, does the Council believe that it is logical to prohibit the use of 2.5 km driftnets in the
Atlantic (outside coastal waters) and to authorize 21 km driftnets in the Baltic Sea?

Joint answer to Written Questions
E-0502/98, 0504/98, 0506/98, 0508/98 and 0510/98

(6 July 1998)

At  its  meeting  on  8 June  1998,  the  Council  adopted  the  Regulation  prohibiting  the  use  of  driftnets  as  from
1 January 2002. For a transitional period, fishing vessels will be able to keep on board or use for fishing, driftnets
having a maximum length of 2.5 km if authorised to do so by the flag Member State.

With  the  exception  of  the  waters  of  the  Baltic  Sea,  Belts  and  Oresund,  this  Regulation  applies  in  all  waters
coming  under  the  sovereignty  or  jurisdiction  of  the  Member  States  and,  outside  those  waters,  to  every
Community fishing vessel.

As  the  Honourable  Member  is  aware,  Resolution  No  44/225  adopted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the
United Nations on 22 December 1989, as confirmed by successive Resolutions, most recently General Assembly
Resolution No 51/36 of 9 December 1996, calls for full implementation of a global moratorium on all large-scale
pelagic driftnet fishing on the high seas.

In the Baltic Sea, drift-netting for salmon is governed by the fishery rules of the relevant regional organisation,
the  International  Baltic  Sea  Fishery  Commission,  as  implemented  in  Community  law  by  Council  Regulation
No 88/98 (1).